Child Care In Ireland

keith16 · 23-05-2013 10:11PM #1

Allegations from RTE on the standard of child care in this country to be aired next week:

RTÉ said the programme finds various degrees of mistreatment of young children in specific rooms of the creches, involving inadequate care and serious breaches of child care regulations.
No evidence of violent or sexual abuse was found.
The broadcaster said the creches involved have been given access to the footage that will be shown in the programme.

Full story here.

My own thoughts:

Have always been reluctant when it comes to considering putting my children into a creche and have so far resisted.

To my mind, this is another example of how poorly we deal with certain vulnerable sections of our society. Our kids, our elderly etc.

At this stage, I would rather one of us stays at home full time to look after the little ones.

Firstly, the cost of creche services is huge, and secondly, this is the type of "care" the children receive. Sure, we'll have less money coming in, but I think it's probably worth it.

Am I over-reacting?

MagicMarker · 23-05-2013 10:11PM

Old news.

23-05-2013 10:12PM

I walk past a creche going to college some days and noticed they had a little fishtank next to the window with a plugged-in CD player/radio/cassette player on top of it. I wouldn't be sending my kids to somewhere like that.

keith16 · 23-05-2013 10:14PM

MagicMarker wrote: »

Old news.

How old? Is this news now in an elderly home strapped into a chair being force fed nice warm glasses of "shut the hell up"?

emo72 · 23-05-2013 10:15PM

the missus once worked in one. we knew when we had kids that they would never go to a creche. owners want maximum profits, and pay the least wages. its kinda obvious what that leads to then.

jam_mac_jam · 23-05-2013 10:18PM

The staff are paid really ****e wages, so its not really a big surprise. I think you might be better off with a child minder that had their own kids and is earning a few extra quid. Its a more normal environment then an institutionalized creche.

Gloomtastic! · 23-05-2013 10:18PM

It would have been cheaper to send our kids to boarding school than what we paid for them to go to crèche. How mad is that!

HondaSami · 23-05-2013 10:20PM

I'm sure there are some good creche's out there with good kind workers who care for the children they are minding but like everything there will be horror stories that will make all the good ones look bad.

Odelay · 23-05-2013 10:21PM

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

It would have been cheaper to send our kids to boarding school than what we paid for them to go to crèche. How mad is that!

Do they change nappies in boarding school?

The Backwards Man · 23-05-2013 10:21PM

I can only speak highly of the local community creche near me. The staff are excellent and the committee put in hours and hours of work behind the scenes. I would have no hesitation sending my kids there if I had any. They are not all bad.

Jake Rugby Walrus666 · 23-05-2013 10:22PM

It's funny that with the normalisation of two income families and creches the extra income just got factored into the maximum house price that could be set in a demand>supply property market. So any theoretical benefit of two incomes dissapeared into a mortgage and children paid by having both parents in full time jobs and them in full time creches.

keith16 · 23-05-2013 10:23PM

Odelay wrote: »

Do they change nappies in boarding school?

No, but it's likely they have to deal with a more metaphorical, infinitely more annoying kind of shit.

Athymum · 23-05-2013 10:30PM

I think you wouldnt be a good parent if you didnt struggle with this decision. We all want to protect our children, so the best thing we can do is research child care facilities and be very picky where we place our children. My son was in an award winning Montessori and he came out of it with better social skills, better speech, he learnt a lot and loved the routine. He needed to be among his peers and now he is in school you can see the benefits.

The Queen of England · 23-05-2013 10:35PM

keith16 wrote: »

To my mind, this is another example of how poorly we deal with certain vulnerable sections of our society. Our kids, our elderly etc.

At this stage, I would rather one of us stays at home full time to look after the little ones.

Am I over-reacting?

Yes, you are over-reacting. The majority of creches are well run & the kids are well fed and well cared for. The same could be said for nursing homes. All it takes is a few bad eggs to spoil the basket.

Fair enough if you decide that your kids are best looked after at home by a parent - that's a personal choice, but I know from experience that sending kids to creche is great for their development and social skills as they get to interact with other children & start developing their education before they go to school, probably more so than they would at home.

They also get used to spending time apart from their parents which helps them adjust easier to starting school - as well as giving the parents some free time for leisure or work duties.

I wouldn't worry at all about the kids once the creche had a good reputation and they come home looking happy after their time there.

keith16 · 23-05-2013 10:38PM

Athymum wrote: »

I think you wouldnt be a good parent if you didnt struggle with this decision. We all want to protect our children, so the best thing we can do is research child care facilities and be very picky where we place our children. My son was in an award winning Montessori and he came out of it with better social skills, better speech, he learnt a lot and loved the routine. He needed to be among his peers and now he is in school you can see the benefits.

Ok, there are benefits but here's the thing: I never went to creche. Many of my "peers" didn't either, and I turned out ok*.

But I am interested in what you say about him needing to be among his peers. Do kids really need to be placed among "peers" at such a young age? We compete with others for a long enough stretch of our lives.

I'm not having a go at you or anything. My basic point is that there is no net benefit between keeping him at home or placing him in a such a good creche.

Every kid is different too so perhaps home/creche will better serve some more than others.

*Goes back to online gambling and watching p0rnhub.

flutterflye · 23-05-2013 10:38PM

My son has special needs so never lasted more than 2 days anywhere. My daughter has been in 2 - both of which I found to be really professional, good with the kids, had them doing all sorts of activities. Honestly couldn't fault one single thing about either of them.
That's only 2 places out of the entire country though, so maybe I just got lucky.

emo72 · 23-05-2013 10:42PM

The Queen of England wrote: »

but I know from experience that sending kids to creche is great for their development and social skills as they get to interact with other children & start developing their education before they go to school, probably more so than they would at home.

interesting point. some people send their babies to creches when they are only a few months old because they have to go back to work. in that situation its definitely a negative.

The Queen of England · 23-05-2013 10:43PM

keith16 wrote: »

Ok, there are benefits but here's the thing: I never went to creche. Many of my "peers" didn't either, and I turned out ok*.

I didn't go to a creche either, but that doesn't really prove anything as it simply wasn't the norm back then. You're comparing oranges with bananas.

emo72 · 23-05-2013 10:45PM

im assuming that we all know the difference between a montessori and a creche? just to keep the thread on track?

keith16 · 23-05-2013 10:46PM

The Queen of England wrote: »

I didn't go to a creche either, but that doesn't really prove anything as it simply wasn't the norm back then. You're comparing oranges with bananas.

Fair enough, but I missed out on the benefits of not doing so. Does that make me a worse person for it? Would my development have been any better?

tbh, while the benefits are there, I think they are over-stated and their overall influence is likely insignificant.

The Queen of England · 23-05-2013 10:47PM

emo72 wrote: »

interesting point. some people send their babies to creches when they are only a few months old because they have to go back to work. in that situation its definitely a negative.

Most creches won't take babies until they are at least 6 months old. My youngest started 7 months & she loved it - she'd yelp with delight (even at that age) going in the door in the morning.

I really don't really see how that could be a negative experience on a child.

Athymum · 23-05-2013 10:47PM

I wasnt in a creche either and i struggled in school, i wasnt exposed to kids my age at all, so i personally think it really benefits Kids to be among their peers. Thats my opinion. You know your own children and their needs so you will make the best decision for them. I just want to get my sons experience of creche across because it was a positive one.

flutterflye · 23-05-2013 10:47PM

keith16 wrote: »

Ok, there are benefits but here's the thing: I never went to creche. Many of my "peers" didn't either, and I turned out ok*.

But I am interested in what you say about him needing to be among his peers. Do kids really need to be placed among "peers" at such a young age? We compete with others for a long enough stretch of our lives.

It's not about competing with others! Not even competing for attention. Why don't you go see a few places just to check them out, you'll get a feel for them very quickly. You'll be able to see how the dynamics of the place works. I don't remember the ratios, but for each age group, there has to be 1 worker for every however many kids. You can bring your kids along and let them join in if they want, or if they're too shy, they can stay with you.
I think it is important tbh - I think it's important for their personal growth and their self confidence/self assurance.
Even 2/3 mornings a week. I know plenty of people who just send their kids for 2/3 mornings, and that way the kid and parent get a bit of both worlds.

keith16 · 23-05-2013 10:47PM

emo72 wrote: »

im assuming that we all know the difference between a montessori and a creche? just to keep the thread on track?

er....the montessori is for the fodeiner kids and the creche is for de poshies?

Athymum · 23-05-2013 10:50PM

My little guy was there for 2/3 days per week and i am a stay at home mum/carer. He really loved it too.

emo72 · 23-05-2013 10:52PM

parents drop their kids off at a creche at 8AM and commute to work then collect them at 6PM on the way home. it would obviously depend on the commute. its a lot different than a few hours in the morning in a "playgroup" or montessori.

2 or 3 hours is enough for a 3 or 4 year old kid when adapting to school hours and learning the routine of it, before they start proper school. major difference from a full time creche scenario.

flutterflye · 23-05-2013 10:53PM

keith16 wrote: »

er....the montessori is for the fodeiner kids and the creche is for de poshies?

Udder way rnd.

Montessori is a specific teaching method based on Maria Montessori.
All I remember from going to see one was that they take an approach where they teach the same things to all kids - the same level like, and the older kids teach the younger kids - which is actually good for the older kids believe it or not, and everything has to be neat and tidy and child sized! - Could be completely off, but that's what my memory is telling me anyway!

hfallada · 23-05-2013 10:54PM

When was growing up I went to some old womens house. It was a 3 bed semi detached but she had like 25 children in the living and dining room supervised by like 2 women. She didnt even child proof the place.

But that was the early 90s. People have greater expectations now

emo72 · 23-05-2013 10:55PM

flutterflye wrote: »

Udder way rnd.

Montessori is a specific teaching method based on Maria Montessori.
All I remember from going to see one was that they take an approach where they teach the same things to all kids - the same level like, and the older kids teach the younger kids - which is actually good for the older kids believe it or not, and everything has to be neat and tidy and child sized! - Could be completely off, but that's what my memory is telling me anyway!

pretty much bang on that.

Athymum · 23-05-2013 10:56PM

The place i am talking about is called Tir na Nog childcare centre and it has 2 montessori classes in it along with wobbler room, toddler room and Irish learning room. There are several places for childcare in my town and none of them have the title 'creche' above their door. Didnt know this forum is so specific, sorry.

emo72 · 23-05-2013 10:57PM

keith16 wrote: »

er....the montessori is for the fodeiner kids and the creche is for de poshies?

montessori is a private school usually, you have to pay for it, but you can get the free government year for it

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