Survey reveals childcare facilities face potential closures - Kilkenny Live

Many childcare services may be restricted or face potential closure due to an inability to recruit and retain staff according to the findings of a recent survey.

The survey of almost 2,000 managers and staff reveals that 39% of early years educators are actively looking for work outside of their profession with low pay cited as the main reason.

Managers and owners said that challenges recruiting and retaining staff will affect the quality of services (64%), make it difficult to maintain staff to child ratios (56%) and lead to service closure (39%).

Early Years Teacher, Sarah Taylor, Carlow-Kilkenny Big Start committee member said:

“The sector welcomes the new pay deal, bringing many graduate workers out of poverty. However, this is not enough to entice professionals back into the sector or retain staff.

Early Years Teacher, Anna Langton, Carlow-Kilkenny Big Start committee member said that many people are leaving the sector due to poor working conditions and low wages.

SIPTU Big Start organiser for Kilkenny Lenka Halouzkova said:

“It is crucial that further investment in sector is secured in the Budget. Most services I visit are understaffed and struggle to recruit new early years workers.

“The majority of managers and providers are under tremendous pressure to prepare services for reopening in September. Better pay will stop people leaving the sector and attract new Early years professionals, students and graduates.

The SIPTU Big Start is campaigning for an Early Years sector that is high quality for children, affordable for parents, sustainable for providers with professional pay and conditions for professionals.