National Pyjama Day 2023

Real Voices and Rally on February 17

Real Voices and Rally on February 17

Dear Member,

I am writing to you today to share with you some of our plans to advocate for our sector in this pre-election year.

Last week we launched our Real Voices from the Early Childhood Sector Campaign. Thousands of you have already watched and listened to members telling their stories and explaining why they want to stay in this sector but why it is becoming harder and harder to do so due to the lack of investment.

Today we launched the 3rd voice of the Campaign which is that of Ballapousta Schoolhouse early childhood education service and you can view the video here: https://www.earlychildhoodireland.ie/real-voices/

We will continue to upload new Voices over the coming weeks so please share them with parents, friends and colleagues thus generating a positive focus about the important work that our sector does and highlighting the need for increased strategic investment.

The forthcoming Association of Childhood Professionals (ACP) Rally on February 17 will be another important event for our Sector to highlight the need for increased investment. The rally is being organised by ACP as a show of strength and to generate public and political awareness for our sector. It is, therefore, a significant event and one which Early Childhood Ireland is pleased to support.

We know from members that some who can, are closing their service on February 17 and rearranging their ECCE calendar with their local CCC in order participate in the Dublin rally. Others are sending one or two staff to represent the service as they are not in a position to close.

If you are not in a position to do either of the above, you may wish to add your voice to the call for increased investment by writing to your local politicians. Early Childhood Ireland has developed a template for writing to your TD’s and this link will bring you to that letter. You will note that we are highlighting 3 top level calls to action as outlined below:

 

We must ensure that all childcare services are affordable and of good quality by providing State subsidies, linked to quality. The following must be addressed urgently by Government:

  1. Increase early childhood capitation funding and link to nationally agreed pay-scales
  2. Introduce mechanisms to ensure that children with additional needs have the supports they need to engage fully, as equals, in their early childhood education setting;
  3. Provide child-free hours and CPD days as part of all Government funded schemes to enable those working in the sector to implement fully the national curriculum and quality framework

It is imperative we make a real commitment to raising the current level of spending of 0.2% of GDP to the European average of 0.7% of GDP per annum on early childhood education. We must back up the verbal commitment to this sector with real investment.

 

In addition, we hope to bring a number of members to a meeting with Minister Reilly in advance of the rally, and my colleague Lisa, lkavanagh@earlychildhoodireland.ie is co-ordinating the agenda for that at the moment.

Finally, in this pre-election year, we know that local advocacy is critical. Ensuring your parents, past and present, are well informed about the benefits of early childhood education and the importance of increased investment will ensure that this becomes a pre-election issue. In the coming months Early Childhood Ireland will produce information for you to give to parents, to broaden the support for this issue. It is important that you demonstrate your “reach” in the local community by highlighting the number of employees in your service and the number of children who have passed through your doors over the years-and by extension the number of families in your community impacted by your service. This influence sphere is something we must demonstrate to local politicians. In the meantime, please share the links to our Voices campaign with parents and staff and provide them with information about the ACP rally.

As always, please keep in touch with us on Facebook, email, phone or drop into the office and let us know how we can do more to support you and the sector.

We looking forward to meeting you at the Annual Conference on April 17 & 18 in Croke Park and we will issue information about that soon.

 

Yours sincerely,

Sig - THeeney

Teresa Heeney

Chief Executive Officer

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