Press release
by The Iona Institute
Child-care
policy must respect parental choice and not favour creches over
home
May 29,
2013 – A national debate is underway about
the quality and supervision of our crèches following the airing of a Prime Time
documentary last night revealing very disturbing mistreatment of young children
by some crèche workers.
It is vital that
any policy changes that may result from this debate properly respect the choices
parents actually want to make in respect of how their young children are cared
for during the day and not favour crèches over home.
It should not be
assumed that all parents want to place their children in crèches for many hours
each day no matter how well-funded and high quality those crèches
are.
If we move
towards a very expensive system of State-funded crèches it will effectively mean
that parents who wish to look after their young children at home will end up
subsidising parents who either want to or have to place them in crèches. This
would be unfair.
Commenting on
the matter, Breda O’Brien of The Iona Institute said: “Last night’s very
disturbing Prime Time programme highlighted the need for young children to
receive quality, loving care wherever they may be. What is clearly needed is
proper supervision of our crèches and proper follow-up where failings have been
uncovered.”
She continued:
“.However, we should not
move towards a universal system of third-party childcare as exists in some other
countries. In those countries, parents have little choice but to put their
children in creches for hours every day. This is because taxes become so high as
a result of subsidising childcare, it is very difficult for a couple to live on
one income and look after their children at home even when they wish to. This
effectively removes parental choice.”
Ms O’Brien
concluded: “Therefore we
must properly supervise childcare, including ensuring fair rates of pay, but
also support the choices parents want to make in order to care for their
children, to the best of our ability and within the limits of our
resources.”
ENDS
Notes to
Editors
- The Iona
Institute is a pro-marriage and family organisation. - In 2011 we held
a conference on childcare and parental choice. Details of the conference can be
found here.
