Sir, - Sadly, much of the pre-Budget discussion on support for childcare misses the point. The major crisis is in supply - in other words, too much demand for too few places.
Extending Early Start, as suggested by the Combat Poverty Agency, is not the solution. Long-term research suggests that formal education begun at an early age has damaging effect on children's capacity to solve problems, make decisions, form relationships, develop independent thinking and make effective use of learning opportunities. This leads to serious difficulties in adolescence and adulthood (witness Panorama on BBC 1 last Monday night).
Early Start has been evaluated, but the report of that evaluation has not been published. Any extension of Early Start must await the publication of the evaluation and its debate in light of recent research.
Obviously, parents must be assisted with the cost of childcare. The IPPA supports the call of the Combat Poverty Agency for subsidy of childcare costs to parents experiencing disadvantage, especially since we know that quality, play-based early childhood care and education has such positive outcomes (such as remaining longer in school, higher achievement levels in school, lower levels of delinquency, higher chances of employment, more stable relationships) for families and society - Yours, etc., Hilary Kenny,
Director of Services, Irish Pre-School Playgroups' Association, North King Street, Dublin 7.