Report Card 2020

On March 3, the Children’s Rights Alliance launched its 2020 Report Card. The Report Card is an annual publication that aims to assess the government’s performance against its own programme. In other words, it evaluates if the Irish government has been keeping its promises to children. This performance is graded by an independent panel of experts in different areas. In the area of rights in early childhood, the government was graded C+. In order to understand this mark, we need to look into the three sub-criteria of evaluation. First, “Quality” received the lowest score (C-), due to the fragmentation of the inspection system and to the poor working conditions of early childhood professionals. The authors highlight that the fragmentation of inspection processes among three separate agencies and departments result in inefficiencies and confusion for providers and parents. These inefficiencies include disparities in the appraisal of regulatory compliance of settings, which is a very serious issue. In addition, although initiatives to improve working conditions of staff have been put in place, the sector continues to experience a deep recruitment crisis that poses a serious threat to quality standards in the country.

In line with this assessment, Early Childhood Ireland continues to advocate for the establishment of a single Early Years and School Age Childcare Agency. The agency would draw together all the different strands currently responsible for oversight and planning in the early years and school-age sector under one roof. We are also currently developing a research project that will inform the Workforce Development Plan by making recommendations on how to support early years professionals.

Secondly, the sub-area of “Subsidised and School-Age Childcare” received a B score. This was justified by the implementation of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and of systems of registration for school-age services. Early Childhood Ireland has also welcomed the launch of the NCS but draws attention to the many concerns that have been expressed by our members. Those concerns relate to the practical implementation of the NCS, including technical difficulties in accessing and using the platform, the processing of sponsorship applications and the complicated coexistence of the NCS with previous programs.

Third, “Childminding” received a C+. This grade is an acknowledgement of the launch of the Draft Childminding Action Plan and the public consultation, but also a reminder that there is a long road ahead. The authors stressed the need to prioritise the final version of the Childminding Action Plan in 2020 and to develop appropriate systems of registration and quality assurance. More details on the Early Childhood Ireland’s submission to DCYA’s open consultation on the Draft Childminding Action Plan can be found here.

Overall, the worst performance in this year’s Report Card was in the area of child homelessness. Over the past four years, this grade has fluctuated from E to F.  During the launch, it was highlighted how homelessness disproportionately affects very young children. The long-lasting impact of these adverse experiences are well known. This means that if this situation is not urgently addressed, Ireland will be condemning thousands of children to a life of lost potential.

The Report Card is a valuable monitoring instrument, that allows for the identification of the most pressing issues that children face in the country. This effort is even more relevant during periods of political transition. On behalf of our members, Early Childhood Ireland’s advocacy work aims to ensure that these lessons are incorporated in the upcoming programme for government.