What do you think about cheap/subsidized childcare low income/unemployed families?

LisaNass

EDIT: I forget to write "for" in the title. It should read "What do you think about cheap/subsidized childcare for low income/unemployed families?"

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Basically, I was studying social work a little while back and had to do work experience in a community centre. It's one of those places that offer cheap childcare (less than 20 Euro a week). The staff are not well-trained and are basically learning on the job through CE schemes.

I don't have children, but if I had a baby, I wouldn't want it being looked after in a place like this. The staff were loud, rude, and honestly quite dim. I wouldn't want somebody with bad grammar teaching my toddler how to read.
The impression I get is basically that the service is cheap, the clients are "trashy", so the overall quality is poor.

I don't care if I come across as judgmental, but I was honestly sickened by the majority of parents who came to drop off their kids. Most of them were the typical "rough" type (cursing in front of kids, arguing in the queue, being loud and obnoxious, aggressive attitudes.) The majority of them didn't work and weren't in training, and would openly admit that they were going off to have "cups of tea" and to collect their welfare. I know I sound awful, but it sickened me to see them coming everyday with their prams when they knew they weren't providing a good life for their kids.


So many of them would just talk about how broke they were, how they were getting evicted, on housing lists............. I know it's not a nice thing to say, but their kids will probably end up just like them, so there's no point in wasting resources on them. If anybody should receive help, it's the parents who are actually working and making an effort to raise non-scrounger kids.

gogo

You don’t have to send your kids there? Each to their own, most people aren’t afforded an alternative...

corner of hells

LisaNass wrote: »

EDIT: I forget to write "for" in the title. It should read "What do you think about cheap/subsidized childcare for low income/unemployed families?"

---

Basically, I was studying social work a little while back and had to do work experience in a community centre. It's one of those places that offer cheap childcare (less than 20 Euro a week). The staff are not well-trained and are basically learning on the job through CE schemes.

I don't have children, but if I had a baby, I wouldn't want it being looked after in a place like this. The staff were loud, rude, and honestly quite dim. I wouldn't want somebody with bad grammar teaching my toddler how to read.
The impression I get is basically that the service is cheap, the clients are "trashy", so the overall quality is poor.

I don't care if I come across as judgmental, but I was honestly sickened by the majority of parents who came to drop off their kids. Most of them were the typical "rough" type (cursing in front of kids, arguing in the queue, being loud and obnoxious, aggressive attitudes.) The majority of them didn't work and weren't in training, and would openly admit that they were going off to have "cups of tea" and to collect their welfare. I know I sound awful, but it sickened me to see them coming everyday with their prams when they knew they weren't providing a good life for their kids.


So many of them would just talk about how broke they were, how they were getting evicted, on housing lists............. I know it's not a nice thing to say, but their kids will probably end up just like them, so there's no point in wasting resources on them. If anybody should receive help, it's the parents who are actually working and making an effort to raise non-scrounger kids.

I completed a CE scheme years ago , I'm also a social care worker working with disadvantaged and vulnerable individuals, mainly adults not so much children. One of the foundations that underpin anyone who works in social care or social work is the ability not to judge people and accept them as they are.

LisaNass

corner of hells wrote: »

I completed a CE scheme years ago , I'm also a social care worker working with disadvantaged and vulnerable individuals, mainly adults not so much children. One of the foundations that underpin anyone who works in social care or social work is the ability not to judge people and accept them as they are.

I know, that's why I'm no longer studying it.

But be honest. Do you ever get annoyed or frustrated with these people? I have sympathy for addicts and the homeless and understand where they come from, but people who choose to have children when they know they can't provide for them is revolting. The child is being born into an instantly disadvantaged environment.

It's frustrating that they don't seem to learn. They keep having babies.

childcare is somewhat regulated more so if they are getting grants and funding which a place you describe would be getting, you were there on a work placement so are you... loud, rude, and honestly quite dim as all who work there are according to you.

At least you had enough sense to leave the course knowing it did not suit you.

What course are you doing now? out of curiosity?

LisaNass

LisaNass wrote: »

I know, that's why I'm no longer studying it.

But be honest. Do you ever get annoyed or frustrated with these people? I have sympathy for addicts and the homeless and understand where they come from, but people who choose to have children when they know they can't provide for them is revolting. The child is being born into an instantly disadvantaged environment.

It's frustrating that they don't seem to learn. They keep having babies.

The problem of the perfect society.

ILoveYourVibes

I know of a situation in the states where a woman started a daycare center that charged middle income and upper income families and provided it free for people who were under a certain threshold. But they both received the same service.

She actually made millions doing these centers all over the states.

2lazytogetup

I know a woman who uses that 20euro a week childcare. She got it on the basis she had a full time job. Not sure what happend but doesn't work and now just sits around partying with her mates all the time. And what's worse she is usually more than an hour late picking up her kids in the evenings.

One of these government initiatives to help single mothers get back to work. Ends up as more free money for the layabouts.

Potential-Monke

Not going to be a popular opinion, but it's mine and I don't expect anyone else to agree with me.

I don't think parents should get anything at all for having children. Back in the 60s (I think, whenever the child benefit was introduced), according to my mother, it was given because most families only had 1 working parent (the father) and the mother was expected to stay at home and raise the child(ren) with no extra money towards doing that. Well, those days are well and truly gone. Having a child now is a conscious decision, be that decision made by sitting down and thinking about it, or by "accidentally" having someone sploodge up your gee.

So it's still a decision. And imo, giving money automatically is an incentive for certain people to have a kid, get the extra money and continue not actually raising the child. Queue the bleeding hearts saying people wuldn't do that for the little amount they get. Bull. People do, and will continue to do so, until we stop giving the money out like a reward for fvcking.

Having a child is probably the biggest life changing moments most people can do in life, and it's treated like an expectation and just something that happens. You need a licence for a dog but not a child, which to me is madness. And then you have these places where said scum (yes, scum, that is what I call people who have kids with no intent of being a parent) can drop off their little angles for €20 so they can literally do nothing and just want time away from their angle.

I would 100% support the removal of any child related benefits. But that will never happen, because feelings and sh1t.

/rant

If VonBismark had an auld doll...

Rubberchikken

So only the poor or unemployed etc curse, about at their kids or generally act trashy?

Judgemental.. much.

If they are making cheaper childcare available for low income families then thats good. The people running it should be willing to raise the standard of care and give a good service irrespective of the quality of some of the clients. That way things may improve.

LisaNass

LisaNass wrote: »

EDIT: I forget to write "for" in the title. It should read "What do you think about cheap/subsidized childcare for low income/unemployed families?"

---

Basically, I was studying social work a little while back and had to do work experience in a community centre. It's one of those places that offer cheap childcare (less than 20 Euro a week). The staff are not well-trained and are basically learning on the job through CE schemes.

I don't have children, but if I had a baby, I wouldn't want it being looked after in a place like this. The staff were loud, rude, and honestly quite dim. I wouldn't want somebody with bad grammar teaching my toddler how to read.
The impression I get is basically that the service is cheap, the clients are "trashy", so the overall quality is poor.

I don't care if I come across as judgmental, but I was honestly sickened by the majority of parents who came to drop off their kids. Most of them were the typical "rough" type (cursing in front of kids, arguing in the queue, being loud and obnoxious, aggressive attitudes.) The majority of them didn't work and weren't in training, and would openly admit that they were going off to have "cups of tea" and to collect their welfare. I know I sound awful, but it sickened me to see them coming everyday with their prams when they knew they weren't providing a good life for their kids.


So many of them would just talk about how broke they were, how they were getting evicted, on housing lists............. I know it's not a nice thing to say, but their kids will probably end up just like them, so there's no point in wasting resources on them. If anybody should receive help, it's the parents who are actually working and making an effort to raise non-scrounger kids.

You should ask to move the thread to CA, you'll get more bites.

larchielads

LisaNass wrote: »

EDIT: I forget to write "for" in the title. It should read "What do you think about cheap/subsidized childcare for low income/unemployed families?"

---

Basically, I was studying social work a little while back and had to do work experience in a community centre. It's one of those places that offer cheap childcare (less than 20 Euro a week). The staff are not well-trained and are basically learning on the job through CE schemes.

I don't have children, but if I had a baby, I wouldn't want it being looked after in a place like this. The staff were loud, rude, and honestly quite dim. I wouldn't want somebody with bad grammar teaching my toddler how to read.
The impression I get is basically that the service is cheap, the clients are "trashy", so the overall quality is poor.

I don't care if I come across as judgmental, but I was honestly sickened by the majority of parents who came to drop off their kids. Most of them were the typical "rough" type (cursing in front of kids, arguing in the queue, being loud and obnoxious, aggressive attitudes.) The majority of them didn't work and weren't in training, and would openly admit that they were going off to have "cups of tea" and to collect their welfare. I know I sound awful, but it sickened me to see them coming everyday with their prams when they knew they weren't providing a good life for their kids.


So many of them would just talk about how broke they were, how they were getting evicted, on housing lists............. I know it's not a nice thing to say, but their kids will probably end up just like them, so there's no point in wasting resources on them. If anybody should receive help, it's the parents who are actually working and making an effort to raise non-scrounger kids.

And what was managements thoughts on all this or there attitude to it. What was the management like? How was it run?

raven41

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Not going to be a popular opinion, but it's mine and I don't expect anyone else to agree with me.

I don't think parents should get anything at all for having children. Back in the 60s (I think, whenever the child benefit was introduced), according to my mother, it was given because most families only had 1 working parent (the father) and the mother was expected to stay at home and raise the child(ren) with no extra money towards doing that. Well, those days are well and truly gone. Having a child now is a conscious decision, be that decision made by sitting down and thinking about it, or by "accidentally" having someone sploodge up your gee.

So it's still a decision. And imo, giving money automatically is an incentive for certain people to have a kid, get the extra money and continue not actually raising the child. Queue the bleeding hearts saying people wuldn't do that for the little amount they get. Bull. People do, and will continue to do so, until we stop giving the money out like a reward for fvcking.

Having a child is probably the biggest life changing moments most people can do in life, and it's treated like an expectation and just something that happens. You need a licence for a dog but not a child, which to me is madness. And then you have these places where said scum (yes, scum, that is what I call people who have kids with no intent of being a parent) can drop off their little angles for €20 so they can literally do nothing and just want time away from their angle.

I would 100% support the removal of any child related benefits. But that will never happen, because feelings and sh1t.

/rant

After having 3 of them I can assure you any help you get off the state is nominal at best. If it was a balance sheet the income in (childrens allowance) would be dwarfed by the expenditure out. I think the incentive might be there to have kids for some people in order to get on or move up the housing list is a reality for certain sectors of society but for everyone else to has to pay their way through life any money you receive off the state is gratefully appreciated.
Bearing in mind some countries have state run childcare and very generous paternal leave schemes so its not as though the Irish govt is in anyway a soft touch.

Smee_Again

I think childcare should be cheap/subsidised for everyone.

Lux23

I think people who want to be social workers shouldn't be judgmental!

eviltwin

Find a different profession OP.

I'm in the social work sector, you meet all sorts in this job - some people just genuinely lovely and hardworking but in a bad place through no fault of their own and some who continue to make choices that keep them stuck in a bad place. Its human nature to judge but you can't do your job if you judge. Every single person is equally deserving of your help and support and if you can't do that without making snap judgements then its probably better to find something else.

freshpopcorn

Please tell me you gave up the social work?

Geuze

I couldn't believe it when I read about three prices for childcare:

free/cheap for unemployed
more expensive for workers


Sure, by definition, the unemployed have more time to mind their own children!!!


Now, I am all for supports for unemployed, ALMPs, more training, etc., but that takes the biscuit.

This seems to be the particular scheme:

Community Childcare Subvention and Community Childcare Subvention Plus: The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme helps parents on lower incomes to access childcare at a reduced cost in participating community childcare services.

The Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP) programme helps parents on lower incomes to access childcare at a reduced cost in participating privately owned childcare services.

These programmes merged together for the 2019/2020 programme year. The CCS programme closed to new applicants on 25 October 2019. Families can apply for support under the National Childcare Scheme.


The three schemes below seem fine:

(1) After-School Child Care Scheme: The After-School Child Care Scheme (ASCC) supports low-income unemployed people to return to work. The Scheme provides subsidised after-school childcare places to people with children of primary school age who find employment, increase the number of days they work or take up a place on an employment support scheme. The ASCC programme closed to new applicants on 14 February 2020. Families can apply for support under the National Childcare Scheme.

(2) Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS): If you are a parent going to secondary school or you have applied for a vocational training course provided by an Education and Training Board and you need childcare, you may qualify for a childcare at reduced rates under the CETS programme. CETS can provide full-time, part-time or after-school childcare places.

Parents going to secondary school are also now entitled to receive childcare funding under CETS.

The CETS programme closed to new applicants on 14 February 2020. Families can apply for support under the National Childcare Scheme.

(3) Community Employment Childcare (CEC): The Community Employment Childcare (CEC) programme provides childcare places at reduced rates for Community Employment (CE) applicants who need childcare so that they can take up a place on a CE scheme.

The CEC programme closed to new applicants on 14 February 2020. Families can apply for support under the National Childcare Scheme.