Chairpersons Note Spring 2020

Dear Childminders,

It's hard to write a "Spring Newsletter" as we experience weekend after weekend of storms. Ciara, Dennis and Jorge have come and gone leaving our country waterlogged and some areas dealing with flooding which is causing extreme hardship for people directly affected.

As I write, we are no nearer the formation of a new government following the General Election on 8th February. It was surprising that Childcare as an issue rated so low in exit polls. Unfortunately, it is also apparent that politicians generally know very little about the world of Childcare in Ireland. Solutions offered in the various party manifestos demonstrated a real disconnect with the actual issues in the sector. It was wonderful to see such a turnout for the march on the 5th February highlighting the issues faced by so many working in the Childcare sector. Lets hope that those who form the next administration will return to the issues raised during the campaign and acknowledge the difficulties faced by those of us who work with children. The questions around the income of those who work in Childcare, insurance, the endless layers of paperwork required for compliance and the unsuitability of the current Regulations for the Childminding sector must be addressed by the new Government.

As the first cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Ireland, it is important to follow the guidelines issued to prevent the spread of the virus. The advice regarding hand-washing, covering mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing and disinfection of frequently touched areas is the best way we can help to prevent the spread of this virus. "Have you washed your hands?" is a mantra for those of us who work with children. I find children need constant reminding no matter how often it is mentioned. On the other hand, I think young children are brilliant at coughing and sneezing into their elbow!

On a happier note, we are currently working on the AGM which will be in September this year. As I have previously mentioned, we had to stagger the AGM last year to allow us to run it in September. Hopefully, this will enable more members to attend. Over the years, many members have expressed their disappointment at their inability to attend due to the AGM clashing with family commitments that tend to happen in Spring. We will have more information for you in our next bulletin.

Stay safe everyone,

Mary Walsh,
Chairperson.