Childcare providers meet in Athlone to establish professional organisation

A meeting of professional childcare providers is currently under way in Athlone with a view to establishing a professional representative organisation.

Labelled ‘Together for Change’, the meeting taking place in The Sheraton, involves a group of private, full day childcare providers from across the country aiming to establish a professional representative organisation.

The group hopes to progress the availability of high quality childcare and early education across the country and to ensure that their perspective on how to achieve this is considered by government and its agencies.

Regina Bushell of Grovelands Childcare and meeting organiser said, “Our ultimate goal is the provision of high quality childcare right across the country in a manner that is sustainable and workable for all concerned.

'Childcare providers need to unite to ensure that our opinions and ideas are heard and listened to by the government as policy is developed and implemented.

'As people who provide care and early education for children day in, day out we know what works best for children, their families and childcare providers. We need to make sure that our valuable perspective is central to childcare policy.”

As well as discussing the establishment of a representative body, those attending the meeting will discuss a number of items including childcare centre inspections by government agencies, capitation paid to childcare providers for the various government funded childcare schemes, valuation rates, government contracts and consultation with government departments about policy development.