Tipp childcare providers to join national protest

Local childcare services will be among hundreds closed around the country on February 5th when a national protest organised by the Early Years Alliance takes place outside Dáil Éireann.
In the Newport area, five childcare services are to close for the day (Wednesday); it is understood that this will mean close to 300 children between Newport and Rearcross who use these services will not have childcare available on that day. 
In a joint letter to parents, representatives of the Homework Hub, Caterpillars Childcare, Little Tots, Step Ahead and Newport Playschool said they would close on the day so that their teams could attend the protest in Dublin. 
The childcare providers are calling on the incoming Government to “develop an early years funding model that supports affordable and accessible childcare for parents, high quality for children and sustainability for families and providers; introduce and provide adequate funding, at the very least, for an appropriate professional wage in 2020 for early years educators; establish a single inspection process with a graded compliance system. We are currently inspected by Tusla, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Department of Education.”
The signatories point out that a number of creches closed at the end of last year and more have stated their intention to do so in 2020 over additional demands placed on them. 
They say parents and early years providers have been carrying huge costs over the last 10 years, with no allowances made for inflation, while the Government pays €4.60 per child under the Early Years Scheme for only 38 weeks of the year. 
“We do not believe that our parents or providers should have to foot the bill any further and Government needs to listen,” the Newport area signatories stated. 
“We love our job and sincerely apologise for causing any disruption to your family, and this is not a decision taken lightly from both a customer service and financial aspect but, to truly continue in the deliverance of high quality care and education service that your child/children deserve, we must try and be heard.”
The recently-formed Early Years Alliance, which brings together organisations representing staff, providers and parents, is expecting thousands of childcare workers, providers and parents from all over the country to take to the streets of Dublin on February 5th.