As a full-time working mother of three, I found the Breach of Trust broadcast deeply upsetting and disturbing.
I have three children under seven and am fortunate enough to have always been in a position to be able to have a childminder come to our home. However, my daughter is two years old, the same age as many of the children who were manhandled, shouted at and abused in the creches featured on the Prime Time programme on Tuesday night. It was difficult viewing, imagining that it could so easily be my little girl who was forced to sit strapped into a high chair for over two hours, or cry herself to sleep on a hard floor.
Over breakfast yesterday morning I found myself questioning my four-year-old on all aspects of his Montessori. How much he liked it? What exactly happens at snack time? What happens when someone has an accident? I know he loves going every morning and have never had any doubts about the quality of care he receives . But the programme upset me so much I felt the need to double check.
It is simply wrong
Like a lot of working mothers I feel guilty about leaving my children in someone else's care and constantly question whether I am doing the best for them. But most working parents have no choice and pay a lot of money for what they presume is the best care they can get for their children. The doubt that Prime Time has sown in parents' minds is deeply worrying. It is simply wrong that children are mistreated, regardless of funding or resources and extraordinary that, until now, this ill-treatment of our most vulnerable has not been publicised.
I found the panel’s discussions about resources and training bewildering. Some people are suited to certain careers and some aren’t. This is definitely the case with childcare. It is hard to imagine that more training would enable someone capable of pushing a toddler to the ground and shouting at the child a more suitable person to take care of that child. It is time for discussion about the quality of childcare in this State to include debate on the suitability of those providing that care.
Surely, the question to ask is not only why were these workers under so much pressure that they were forced into these actions, but how could any person treat a small child in such a way? And if the staff felt underpaid and overworked why didn’t they go to their employers and raise these issues instead of taking out their frustrations on a toddler who is totally dependent on the care they provide? Surely the blame ultimately lies with management who should have been aware that these staff members were unsuitable.
It seemed the appalling behaviour shown was not unusual as they made no attempt to hide it from a new member of staff.
Develop and flourish
Every parent knows how difficult it can be taking care of young children and how much they can test your patience. But every person who loves children also knows how much fun it can be with the right approach and how fulfilling it is to see a child develop and flourish under your care. Is this enjoyment something that we can train people to feel? I have my doubts.
Despite this, it is essential that staff get adequate training. It is hard to believe 25 per cent of those working in childcare in Ireland have no training at all. Even the kindest childcare worker needs the skills to deal with a room full of toddlers.
It was nauseating to hear lack of resources being blamed for the abuse. My anger rose as the profits of some of the businesses were revealed. Maybe it’s a case that big business and childcare don’t mix. It would seem overregulation makes it difficult for smaller operations to survive. And yet these regulations seem to be largely meaningless, as so many of the childcare centres featured had been found to be in breach of these regulations by the HSE and yet they were awarded significant amounts of State funding.
Parents, as well as the HSE, need to be the inspectors of their children’s wellbeing. They need to raise their concerns with management and report these breaches of regulations to the HSE.
One creche featured had CCTV in every room. This footage should be viewable by all parents online as is the case in so many countries. In this way there is total supervision as parents can constantly monitor the care their children are receiving.
Trusting someone else to take care of your child is a very difficult thing to do. It won’t be any easier now.
