We must do more to ‘fight’ for our children’s rights
The mother of three young boys says she fully supports childcare providers and workers in their current fight for better supports and pay for the sector.
Niamh Bradley-McBreen has just returned to work following maternity leave and relies on the services of Scribbles Playschool in Cross, which gave parents notice it would close for three days last week as part of a national protest co-ordinated by the Federation of Early Childhood Providers.
Although the closure caused her some difficulty, she considers it a necessary evil to achieve better supports for the sector and ultimately children. Niamh feels so strongly about it that she joined the childcare workers in Dublin outside Leinster House to make their voices heard.
“I was completely shocked to learn of the struggle that Louise and the girls were going through behind closed doors because, when you drop your children off every morning, you are greeted with a smile and a lovely welcome. I wasn’t aware how serious things were,” the young mum told the Celt yesterday (Tuesday).
Niamh and the other parents were surprised to get a letter from the service saying it would be closed for the demonstration and explaining the reasons why.
“We, as parents, want to do anything we can to show our support,” insisted Niamh, saying that creches and playschools deserve proper recognition as early educators and all of the benefits and supports that go with that.
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Her eldest son Caolán has just started Junior Infants but enjoyed two happy pre-school years at Scribbles.
“We were so grateful for the incredible foundation Caolán received at Scribbles. We were able to leave him off at the school gates on his first day of school knowing he had that foundation,” said Niamh, referencing all the learning and development and social skills their son gained in pre-school.
Niamh described how Caolán grew in confidence at Scribbles in a “lovely, nurturing environment”.
Proper recognition and support for the sector is vital in the young mother’s opinion.
“The first seven years are the most important in a child’s life for development. They lay the foundation for all the success and health and everything else that follows later in life,” articulated Niamh of the role childcare providers play in children’s lives and society generally.
She said, if Scribbles is forced to close, it will have a “devastating impact” on the community.
Niamh’s middle son Tiernan has just started playschool at Scribbles and loves it. She feels confident dropping him off every morning that he is happy and being well cared for. Her youngest son Senan has just turned one and Niamh wants to see Scribbles still open when his time for pre-school comes. Our children, she says, are the “most important people in our lives”.
“I want to see Louise and the girls and others like them get the support they need to keep the place open. They go through three or four years of education and then they can’t afford to live. It doesn’t make sense,” said Niamh.
She’s hopeful Tuesday’s Budget will deliver some relief for the sector but understands if further strikes are needed.
Niamh, like others, will have to take holidays at her own expense or rely on the goodwill of friends and family in the event of further closures but she’s prepared to take the hit.
“I feel very strongly that childcare providers are our children’s first educators, the first people that introduce our children to learning. I can’t understand why we aren’t doing more to fight for our kids’ rights and our first educators,” concluded an impassioned Niamh.