Start Strong E-Newsletter September 2015

Budget 2016 promises to set out the Government's stall for the following five years if returned to office after the General Election. Many will see it as the first round of electoral pitching before the public cast their votes.

The fact that childcare has featured so heavily in media speculation over the Budget is welcome. It casts a light over the crises within Ireland's early years sector which have been at the crux of Start Strong's campaigning work in recent years.

But it is important the Government takes the right approach. We don't want quick fixes. We need long-term solutions that will address the problems of quality, affordability and investment in early years services, and that will strengthen families' leave entitlements. This e-newsletter explains the measures Start Strong has called for in the Budget.

Since our last e-newsletter the Start Strong team have welcomed some new faces. Congratulations to Tressan, whose beautiful baby boy Zachary was born in August. The same month also saw our new colleague Michael join the office - Michael will be covering for Tressan while she's on maternity leave.

Remember, you can keep in touch with us by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter. We are always keen to get your feedback and comments.

The team at Start Strong - Ciairín, Toby, Lorraine and Michael

Pre-Budget Submission 2016

We're likely to see some action taken on childcare in Budget 2016, to be announced on Tuesday 13th October. But it's by no means clear what action the Government will take, or whether it will be enough.

Start Strong's Pre-Budget Submission focuses on three areas: extending paid family leave; developing quality, affordable childcare through income-related subsidies paid directly to services; and extending free pre-school provision.

Read our press release here

Read the Pre-Budget Submission here

Blog: Childcare needs long-term solutions

Quick fixes may win votes, but long-term solutions will leave a legacy of improvements lasting longer than any Government term.

In this blog post ahead of Budget 2016, Start Strong Director Ciairín de Buis outlines how the Government needs to take the long-term view if it is to address the crises of quality, affordability and investment in Irish early childhood care and education.

Paid family leave

Children do best when cared for at home by their parents for at least the critical first year of life. The duration of paid leave in Ireland - at just 6 months' paid maternity leave - is the 4th shortest in Europe.

Start Strong is calling for the introduction of 6 months' paid parental leave - to be taken by either parent - after maternity benefit ends.

Our Pre-Budget Submission calls for 6 weeks' paid parental leave to be introduced in 2016, as the first stage in a 5-year expansion of paid parental leave. We also want this Budget to bring in 2 weeks' paid paternity leave, on the birth of a child.

Quality, affordable childcare

Many Irish parents spend 30-40% of their income on childcare - a huge amount, considering the EU average is 10-13%. But such high costs bring no guarantee of quality services.

Direct Government investment in early years services, linking funding to quality improvements, is the only way to ensure the "double dividend": high quality care for young children, and subsidised childcare places for families.

Start Strong is also calling for the introduction of price caps to ensure that increased public funding does not simply result in higher prices.

Investing in quality

Research shows that early care and education can have long-lasting benefits for children and for the economy - but only if it's high quality.

Start Strong is calling on the Government to use Budget 2016 to significantly increase investment in the quality of early years services, including the national roll-out of Síolta and Aistear, expansion of the Learner Fund, a review of capitation payments to allow introduction of salary scales, and an audit of quality.

Read more

Extending free pre-school

Start Strong supports moves towards a second free pre-school year. Research shows that children benefit from quality pre-schools from the age of 3 or even 2. Currently, the free pre-school year is only available from (at earliest) 3 years 2 months. And, with a single entry point in September each year, many children do not begin until they turn four.

Start Strong is calling on the Government to use Budget 2016 to enable all children to access free pre-school provision from their 3rd birthday, with multiple entry points during the year, and children able to remain in pre-school services until they go to school, even if that is two years.

Start Strong

Advancing children's early care and education in Ireland

www.startstrong.ie
+353-1-662-4018

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Start Strong's most recent report,

'Childcare': Business or Profession?, sets out a new Irish model for early childhood education and care.

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