Childcare providers are being urged to participate in an online survey as part of the Independent Review of Costs of Providing Quality Childcare. This Independent Review, which was announced by Minister Zappone last autumn, is a Programme for Government commitment. The Review, which is being undertaken by Crowe Horwath on behalf of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, seeks to: ·
- Analyse the current costs of providing childcare in Ireland and factors that impact on those costs; Develop a model of the unit cost/costs of providing childcare that allows analysis of policy changes and variation in cost-drivers, including the potential impact of increased professionalisation.
- Provide an objective, high level market analysis of the childcare sector in Ireland, including analysis of fee levels charged to parents.
The results from this survey of childcare providers will feed into the development of a cost model and cost calculator for childcare provision. Importantly, the results will also inform the Estimates Process for Budget 2019 and for subsequent budgets. Speaking about the Review, Minister Zappone urged childcare providers to take part. “This Review represents a key milestone in the on-going reformation of childcare in Ireland. The results of this Review will help to further advance my ambition of building an accessible, affordable, quality childcare system, which will last for generations. To deliver on this ambition, we need a childcare funding system where childcare providers are funded on a fair and sustainable basis and where the genuine concerns over pay and conditions in the sector can be addressed. The Independent Review of Costs offers us a unique opportunity to change our approach to, and levels of, childcare funding. I am urging childcare providers to engage honestly and openly through this confidential survey. A good response rate will be critical to ensure the credibility of the survey findings to bring about needed change”.
The survey runs from 27 March until 12 April. Each childcare provider in the country has been e-mailed a link to the survey. If you have not received an e-mail from Crowe Horwath, please contact them on childcarecostsurvey@crowehorwath.ie. For further information, contact Crowe Horwath at (01) 448 2200.
