There's a warning of a crisis in creche provision in the country. Some parents face a 3 year wait for a place for their child, while others can wait 6 months. Issues with staff recruitment and retention are being blamed for the number of services shutting their doors or curtailing the service they offer. Paula Donohoe from Clever Clogs Childcare in Ballyconnell who says "change is urgently needed." Speaking to Northern Sound, Paula revealed that recruitment and retention is the single biggest issue facing the childcare sector as well as wages. According to Paula, people are exiting the sector in their droves which is making childcare providers "stressed to the absolute max."
"It's heart-breaking when you hear parents who are desperate to find a placement for their children. The first 13 names on my waiting list are babies who are not even born yet, the industry has changed radically over the years. We can't fill places until the government get serious about addressing the recruitment and retention issue in our sector. I sit on the stakeholders forum that address recruitment and retention in our sector, I've been sitting on it since December and sadly there has not been one resolution or one thing brought forward that can help us in an emergency situation. We need to work towards helping parents across this country in the short term, these solutions need to be brought to the table and made happen but unfortunately I don't think our government is listening to us. "
