Parents say ‘optional’ extras should be free but many creches are adamant the scheme doesn’t cover their costs

THIS WEEK children around the country are starting their free pre-school year in creches, playschools and naíonraí around the country but, judging by the online debate at least, the scheme is the source of some confusion and not a little controversy.

The pre-school year under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme was piloted in January to June of this year. It will start its second year between now and September 6th, and will coincide with the school year.

While the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA) hasn’t released figures yet on how many children are participating in the scheme, those eligible have to be born between February 2nd, 2006, and June 30th, 2007. They are entitled to three hours’ free care per day, and, according to Government recommendations, parents shouldn’t be charged extra for anything required for “effective participation in class”.

However, there appear to be wildly differing interpretations by childcare providers of what constitutes an “optional extra”. What’s optional in one creche or playschool is regarded as part of the offering in another, it seems.

On Magicmum.com, a thread called “Seems free pre-school places are not free” turns into a war of words between parents and childcare providers.

One parent, writing under the pseudonym “Lottomum”, says the letter sent out by her provider outlining the extra costs was worded “in such a way they make you feel like your child will not benefit and will be segregated if you don’t pay the ‘optional’ fee”. She was asked for €65 a week for music, folders and birthday parties.

Another parent, “Hero”, says that while she provides a snack for her child, “the playschool provides treats, birthday parties, bouncy castles, at no additional cost”. She believes that activities during core hours should be free. “Otherwise, eventually the cost of the pre-school will become what the market will bear, plus the government subsidy, and that was never the intention.”

On the thread – which has been live for seven months – there are tales of providers demanding a “voluntary” donation from parents, or insisting that core hours are 9am to 12.30, so they can charge for the extra half-hour.

While childcare providers are not encouraged to charge for extras by the OMCYA, it’s permissible if activities are “genuinely optional” and extra- curricular, such as day trips, birthday parties and swimming classes. It also says childcare providers can charge for food, but must give the parent the option of providing their child’s lunch.

Providers shouldn’t charge for anything required “for effective participation in the class” – in other words, art and crafts materials, work sheets, trips that don’t incur a cost, dancing, or school plays and concerts, according to the guidelines.

On the other side of the fence are the childcare providers, who say they are getting only €64.50 a week per child, 38 weeks a year. On Magicmum “Skerries Montessori” hits back at the parents, saying people are lumping purpose-built creches into the same category as “playschools in a back room”, which don’t have the same overheads.

Another operator says that, while they open 46 weeks a year, they are only paid for 38. “This is a shortfall of six weeks’ money to pay rent, which is €1,000 a month, wages, employer’s PRSI, insurance, arts and crafts, cleaning materials, equipment, activities and baking supplies.”

Teresa Heaney, director of the National Children’s Nurseries Association agrees that the conditions of the scheme don’t suit everyone. “The cut-off age suits some and not others, and causes disharmony. There’s a lack of clarity over which days the scheme starts and ends. While it follows the school year, different schools open and close on different dates,” she says. This year some children are starting on August 30th, others on September 6th.

She finds parents don’t tend to mind being charged for food, but do mind being asked to pay for arts and crafts. She says the amount paid by the Government is causing huge problems for services. According to a survey of members of the nurseries association, the charge to parents was, on average, € 80 per child per week from 9am to 12.30pm. Those services are getting €64.50 from the Government. They can make up some, but not all of it.

“They’ve got to pay the bank, and it’s causing creches to close down. In the Dublin commuter belt, many bought space in business parks and are paying huge leases. They are now dealing with an enforced drop of income. Most feel they’ve no choice but to be registered for the ECCE scheme, because families will go elsewhere. There are new entrants coming into the market, like primary schools offering the free pre-school year as a way of attracting students. And there are people who used to offer a service in a converted garage who might be attracted back.”

Marie Keating of the Waterford-based Parents Network says the requirement that children be at least three years and three months on September 1st discriminates against those who are ready to go to school aged four. The network wrote to the Minister for Children, Barry Andrews, earlier this year, pointing out that some schools take children who are aged four on September 1st.

The Minister shows no sign of backing down on the age issue, however, saying in a Dáil debate that it “achieves a reasonable balance between supporting the provision of appropriate age-related programmes and activities and providing flexibility”.