Appeal for participation in childcare needs survey
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A comprehensive survey on the needs for childcare in Kilcullen will stay live until the middle of August, and all parents having difficulty finding places for both pre-school and after-school childcare are urged to participate, writes Brian Byrne. The survey has been organised by the Kilcullen Needs Childcare community group in association with Deputy Mark Wall.
Preliminary analysis of early responses indicates that almost half of those who have taken part are considering giving up their careers because of the lack of childcare services. A high 45 per cent of respondents indicated that they have had to reduce their working hours, and in some cases, both parents have had to. Describing the situation as 'shocking', co-founder of Kilcullen Needs Childcare, Alice Malone O'Neill, says she is also aware of one person who has had their house valued and is considering moving to be closer to family for childcare support.
Availability of after-school care in Kilcullen has been reduced by changes in policy at existing childcare providers in the town. Alice, a teacher, and her chef husband are directly affected. “I'm fortunate that our two younger children have pre-school places, but we will have an after-school problem with our eldest child from September," she says. "We don't have family nearby to help out.” In June, she organised a simple online survey to gauge the extent of the issue. “I set it up on a platform linked to my phone, and for the next three days, it was beeping non-stop. I was absolutely in shock — I got 82 responses, involving 120 children.”
That prompted Alice and her friend Gina Begley to form Kilcullen Needs Childcare and get in touch with local politicians. Deputy Mark Wall met with several mothers in Kilcullen on 18 July. He set up the current survey, this time seeking more detailed information, including on issues such as affordability.
Long-term remedies are needed to deal with childcare shortages on a national level, but the matter is immediately critical for many families in Kilcullen. Alice suggests that the use of local schools' space for after-school care could be one fast-track solution. She references a Naas school, where an after-school provider works in a room not used by any teachers outside school hours. "They have that, and then they go to the school hall, and they have a kitchenette and the school's outdoor facility as well. Sixty or seventy children are using that service, and it also gets government support."
Pending the outcome of the current survey, the group is planning a public meeting in Kilcullen on the issue for early autumn.
