WHILE FAMILIES are being encouraged to "discover Ireland" in an off season hotel break, only about 20 hotels in Bord Failte's current guide have creche facilities for the under two year olds. Perhaps they don't want parents to discover the joys of the tantrum free breakfast, or of a candelit dinner a deux without jammy fingers in the damask.
Unlike other creches, one in a hotel has the task of developing a rapport with new children each day or every few days. Independent nursery consultant Geraldine Jennings says there are particular issues in a holiday setting: "It's different from the full day creche for working parents. I would be against drop in centres that talk about being educational; I don't think that's expected - it should be fun, happy, cheerful."
However, there are some desirable features for which parents should look out. "See what the staff are like. Their training should be child centred, not necessarily medical - the children aren't sick, they're on holiday. The carers should be enthusiastic. Would you like to spend time with them?
"The toys should be age and stage appropriate. There is no point, for example, in having wonderful equipment for a five year old when your child is two.
"Obviously, don't leave your child there all day. There isn't time for a child to fully settle in an hotel creche - it's over in a few days. Go slowly and carefully. If it's not successful it may have been a traumatic experience that can't be salvaged," Jennings says.
Her own children, David (9) and Tamara (11), are regular consumers of the leisure facilities at the Killarney Ryan Hotel, one of the hotels which welcomes children. Last September the hotel toddled away with a coveted Cow and Gate 1995 Creche of the Year award.
The creche is situated in the family bedroom block and caters for children aged three weeks to three years. The large room has cots with mobiles and baby bouncers - toys were bought in consultation with the Early Learning Centre. Sheila Nolan, a paediatric nurse, is in charge, with a staff of four, two nurses and two childcare workers.
"Most children stay four to five days," Nolan says. "The first night parents come up and introduce themselves. I tell them if the child is initially upset, I will call them as its important he doesn't feel they've vanished. Already he's in a big strange room with a strange woman. But the atmosphere is very relaxed, we get down on the floor and play with the children - and we find if they come once, they're happy to come back.
"Yes, there is some abuse - some children are left for hours at a time. I have to bite my tongue and saying nothing," Nolan admits.
Brenda and Jimmy Greely have holidayed at the Killarney Ryan with their four children now aged 9 to 18. "I'm all for togetherness on holidays, but it's great on occasion to have a sense of wanderlust and to walk out for a short while knowing that, your children will be minded," Jimmy Greely says.
The Lakeside Hotel in Killaloe, Co Clare, must be one of the few in the country with its own pre school, which local children attend. School and creche are run by Regina O'Dwyer, who has trained in childcare and is about to qualify as a Montessori teacher. She is assisted by one full time worker and two part time. The playschool has 10 pupils, aged two to four, in term time; the numbers are swelled periodically by young hotel guests.
"Parents staying at the hotel love it, because small children away on holiday often miss the company of other children," O'Dwyer says. The facility is situated in the hotel's leisure complex and the creche is used by leisure members and hotel guests alike.
Martina Murphy, chairperson of the National Children's Nurseries Association, confirms there are no regulations currently governing the operation of creches. The NCNA has its own code of practice covering training, equipment, safety and adult child ratio. It has been approached by a number of other hotels interested in opening a creche, and would welcome greater consultation.
