HSE investigated four complaints against pre-schools last year

The Health Service Executive (HSE) received and investigated a total of four complaints in this region, two from parents regarding childcare facilities in Cavan and Monaghan last year. The complaints related to the issues of adult/child ratios, overcrowding and poor practices.
Meanwhile, as the fallout of last Tuesday’s Primetime investigation into practices at creches, ‘A Breach of Trust’, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) among others has called on the HSE to fill any vacancies of Public Health Nurses (PHNs) working as pre-school inspectors, of which there is one in Cavan-Monaghan.
Since the beginning of this year, there has been no dedicated public health nurse/pre-school inspection services in the Cavan Monaghan area after the retirement of the PHN for the region. Instead, a single senior environmental health officer is charged with conducting such pre-school inspection services under the supervision of the area manager for Children and Family Services.
The HSE say creches in the region receive a visit from an inspector on average every 18-24 months. In 2012, there were 34 pre-schools inspected in Cavan-Monaghan.
The INMO says at least another 25 inspectors need to be appointed nationally in order for the current system to be brought up to standard. The Association of Childhood Professionals (ACP) agrees, saying the Primetime programme had showed repeat instances of practices that are not acceptable for the childhood sector.
The HSE, meanwhile, has given no indication as to when, or if, its vacant PHN position is to be filled.
The ACP is now calling on the government to work together with childhood professionals to ensure high quality provision in the childhood sector and to ensure the implementation of national standards.
In particular, the ACP said backing needed to be given to sector-changing initiatives, which, for the best part, had been shelved since their inception. These include the Early Childhood Care and Education Sector Workforce Development Plan (2010), Síolta National Quality Framework (2006) and the Aistear Early Childhood Curriculum Framework (2009).
“The childcare inspection system needs to be revised and an early years specialist needs to be included on the inspection team,” the ACP told The Anglo-Celt.
The HSE, meanwhile, said that Children & Family Services take all complaints seriously and, if required, will carry out an inspection of the alleged offending creche/childcare facility following receipt of a complaint.
“Children & Family Services will continue to work to ensure that these childcare centres are providing a high quality of care and that any shortcomings are addressed adequately,” a HSE spokesperson said.

See this week's Anglo-Celt newspaper for full report