Page 30 - COBH EDITION 15th FEBRUARY DIGITAL VERSION

Sherlock seeks support for East Cork early childhood workers

Cork East TD Seán Sherlock sought support for early childhood workers and educators
across East Cork this week in the Dáil as the Labour Party moved their motion to guaran-
tee a fair start for every child.

“The issue of qualifications is important,” said Deputy
Sherlock.

“Staff in the sector are becoming more qualified,
with 94% having level 5 qualifications or higher. The
figure was 92% in 2016-17 and 88% in 2015-16.
For level 6 qualifications, the figure is 65%. It was
63% last year and 56% in 2015-16. We are seeing
a gradual rise in the level of educational attainment.
Despite this, 57%, or 2,256 services, report having
problems in finding suitably qualified staff to fill vacancies. That figure has increased
by 10% since last year. Some of the figures I am quoting are taken directly from the
report. The Minister has acknowledged that skilled and highly qualified staff are a vital
component of childcare provision. What we need to see is a commitment from Govern-
ment, or at least a greater degree of energy from Government, to address the issue of
the retention rates within the sector. What we are clearly seeing from the evidence of
campaigns like the Big Start campaign by SIPTU, for example, is that the rate of attrition
from the sector is too high. There is no formal sectoral employment order. It is increas-
ingly difficult to organise workers within the sector. It is quite challenging because of the
disparate nature of the sector.

I trust I am not misquoting the Minister on the matter but she has acknowledged the po-
tential impact of a sectoral employment order, something to which she has given words
of support in the past. If it was put in a formal setting, then we could at least address
the retention rates, recognise the qualifications of workers and prevent the high rate of
attrition. People are going off to other sectors to become special needs assistants or
teachers or even emigrating and working in the same sector abroad.

The Government should come to the table or at least be more proactive in recognising
the need. There is no point in increasing the budget line, although it is necessary, if the
rate of attrition of staff is increasing year on year. The early years sector profile report is
showing us clear evidence of that. We cannot ask services to take on more additionality
or children if the capability or capacity is not there because of a lack of staffing and that
is a major issue.

“I wish to acknowledge the work of the Big Start campaign. Those of us across the po-
litical divide have given our support to the campaign. We can start that process with the
sectoral employment order. That would address issues like pay, pensions and sick pay.
It would build a strong coherent voice for the sector. Individual Deputies should not be
coming into the House, at this late stage in 2019, when we do not even have a formal
structured affordable childcare scheme up and running. There should be no need for the
workers to have to continue to organise themselves in order that they can get a sectoral
employment order. This should have been achieved a long time ago. Perhaps now is the
time for Government to address this. Given the Minister’s commitment or support for
the idea of the workers being organised, perhaps she could intervene to try to influence
matters by being as proactive as she possibly can.”