Up to 80% of childminders could close ahead of new excessive childminding system – Childminding Ireland.
Minister Norma Foley is not engaging with the sector and risks being known as the Minister who oversaw the end of Childminding in Ireland.
The majority of childminders in Ireland have told their representative body they intend to cease operations within the next 12 months as a new Government system takes hold. Surveys and focus groups by Childminding Ireland show most childminders plan to leave rather than be forced into a system that destroys the essence of childminding, its home-based, family feel and the many benefits it brings to children, families, and communities.
Childminding Ireland, the representative body for childminders in Ireland, said that Minister for Children, Norma Foley and her department seem tone-deaf to the true nature of childminding. Bernadette Orbinski Burke, Chief Executive of Childminding Ireland has stated “a sustainable future for the sector depends on a system designed from the ground up, one that grows from the roots of what childminding truly offers: personalised, home-based care that benefits children and families alike. Instead of building on its strengths to attract new childminders and expand childcare capacity, this one-size-fits-all approach is driving childminders out, creating anxiety across the sector and reducing childcare capacity.”
Across Ireland, childminding, the backbone of family childcare and community life, is collapsing. It offers a unique, home-from-home environment where children experience continuity of care from babyhood through their school years, siblings stay together, and parents build trusted relationships with their childminders. The flexibility of childminding allows parents and childminders to agree on arrangements that suit each child’s and each family’s needs. Childminding supports real-world learning, greater flexibility for families, and inclusive care for children with additional needs.
Childminding Ireland warns that if nothing changes, thousands of trusted childminders will be lost, reducing choice, flexibility, and affordability for parents. If the expected exodus from the sector is not stopped, there will be a major childcare crisis nationally over the next 12 months.
Childminding Ireland identified 9 core actions that the Government urgently needs to take to avert a national crisis.
1. A national system designed for childminders, not one borrowed from commercial centre-based childcare. A system that respects the home environment, independence and flexibility of childminders is essential. Childminders should be acknowledged as childminders, not “Early Years Providers” as is currently proposed in the new regulations. Childminding is a unique model and deserves its own legal and policy framework.
2. Proportionate quality standards that are driven by child safeguarding
Quality measures should focus on children’s safety and wellbeing, not bureaucracy. Increasing paperwork is already forcing some registered childminders to reduce the hours they childmind to use that time to keep up with administrative demands.
3. Real financial supports and incentives for childminders
The current Childminding Development Grant is insufficient as the only financial subsidy. We need meaningful start-up and sustainability funding to secure the future of the sector.
4. Access to Garda Vetting for all childminders
Every childminder, including those not required to register with Tusla until 2027, should have access to Garda Vetting. This is currently not the case. Childminding Ireland is ready to act as a recognised relevant body to facilitate this process.
5. Exemption from commercial rates
Childminding homes must be exempt from commercial rates. (A childminder in Kildare has been assessed for rates in recent weeks). This must be addressed urgently.
6. Permission to use appropriately vetted support persons
Childminders should be allowed to engage a suitable, vetted, cover person to manage essential short-term absences without being forced to close their service. This is already impacting capacity.
Childminders can no longer avail of AIM support for children with additional needs. Already childminders have had to turn away children with additional needs as a direct result of this.
7. Design specific financial supports for parents using childminding services
Create a new National Childminding subsidy scheme for parents, as the current NCS is not suited to family-based care.
Create an optional early years (ECCE) pathway tailored for childminding, giving parents more choice and recognising the vital role childminders play in childhood.
8. Protection of childminders’ privacy and safety
Childminders’ home addresses and personal details should not be published on the Tusla website. Public disclosure poses safety risks for both childminders and the children in their care.
9. An urgent and independent review of the proposed childminding system
Given the reaction from childminders the Government needs to conduct an independent review of the proposed new system as a whole, conducted by an expert who does not come from a centre based childcare background and who can assess the necessity and proportionality of the proposed approach. This review needs to include urgent and meaningful engagement with childminders, parents and Childminding Ireland.
Losing up to 80% of Ireland’s childminders will trigger a national childcare shortage, leaving tens of thousands of children without care. This would force many parents, particularly mothers, out of work, increase costs for families and the State, and harm the wider economy. Immediate government support is essential to prevent lasting damage to families and the workforce.
If the Government continues to ignore childminders, Ireland will not just lose a workforce, it will lose a vital part of its social and community fabric.
The Government and Minister Foley need to address this crisis now and undertake meaningful engagement with the sector.
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About Childminding Ireland:
Childminding Ireland is the National Childminding Body for childminders, the voice of childminding within the Irish childcare sector. We are passionate advocates for childminding and childminders. At Childminding Ireland, we offer support to childminders so that they can provide best quality childcare in a home-from-home setting for the benefit of children, their families, and their communities.
Our vision is of an Ireland in which childminding flourishes resulting in profound benefits for children. A childcare environment in which childminders have parity of esteem, access to supports and training and equitable inclusion in policy and in practice.
Childminding Ireland is a Registered Charity and is part funded by The Department of Children, Disability and Equality.