Alliance of 32 national organisations calls for a public childcare model
A network of 32 national community and voluntary organisations working to address poverty, social exclusion and inequality has today launched ‘Principles for Delivering a Public Childcare Model’ and called for the delivery of a public childcare model in Ireland.
The Six Principles for a Public Childcare Model are:
1. Child centred
2. State responsibility
3. Investment
4. Quality, inclusion and accessibility
5. Equality6. Decent working conditions
The document will be launched at an online event involving speakers representing parents, community providers, childcare professionals and workers, women and a range of political parties, who will have a chance to engage with a wide audience on the development and delivery of a public childcare model.
Paul Ginnell from the European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland, a member of the Platform stated that ‘The current model of childcare in Ireland, which depends very heavily on the private market, fails many people across society, particularly children and parents from low-income families and workers.’
Catherine Lane from the National Women’s Council, also a member of the Platform highlighted that “The Community Platform believes that the progressive delivery of a high quality, inclusive and accessible public childcare model is urgently needed and that a properly designed and delivered public childcare model can play an important role in addressing poverty and disadvantage and the wide-ranging structural inequalities that women experience.”
Rachel Doyle from Community Work Ireland also a Platform member continued “Lessons from the past, which have been reinforced by the Covid-19 pandemic, show the important role of the state in providing key public services and in ensuring universal access. This is essential in creating a more equal and inclusive society and childcare is one of these critical public services.”
Mary Roche from Treoir concluded “The delivery of a fit for purpose public childcare model needs to be adequately funded and we are calling for Government to invest 1% of our national income over the next decade, in line with UNICEF recommendations.”
Following the launch the Community Platform will engage widely with all political parties and the different stakeholders to promote the progressive delivery of a public childcare model.
Ends.
Contact: Paul Ginnell 087 640 2200
Note:
Download: Principles for delivering a high quality, inclusive and accessible Public Childcare Model
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The Community Platform
The Community Platform is an alliance of 32 national networks and organisations in the community and voluntary sector working to address poverty, social exclusion and inequality. The members of the Community Platform members are:
• Age Action Ireland
• All Together in Dignity (ATD) Ireland
• Community Action Network
• Community Work Ireland
• Cairde
• Debt and Development Coalition
• European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) Ireland
• Family Resource Centre National Forum • Focus Ireland
• Immigrant Council of Ireland
• Independent Living Movement Ireland
• Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed
• Irish Penal Reform Trust
• Irish Refugee Council
• Irish Rural Link
• Irish Traveller Movement • Migrant Rights Centre Ireland
• National Adult Literacy Agency
• National Collective of Community-based Women’s Networks
• National Traveller Women’s Forum
• National Women’s Council of Ireland
• One Family
• Pavee Point
• Rape Crisis Network Ireland • Safe Ireland
• Sign Language Interpreting Service
• Simon Communities of Ireland
• TASC
• Threshold
• Treoir
• Vincentian Partnership for Justice
• Women’s Aid
