Páistí le Chéile

This message is for everyone, no matter how old you are!
​Mental health is just as important as physical health. It's about how you feel, think, and handle life every day. Just like you look after your body by eating healthy food and playing, you need to look after your mind, too!

​For the Grown-Ups (and Teens!)
​Be Kind to Yourself: You don't have to be perfect. It's okay to feel stressed, sad, or overwhelmed sometimes. Treat yourself with the same kindness you'd show a friend.

​Make Time to Recharge: Find things that help you relax. This might be reading, listening to music, spending time in nature, or just sitting quietly. Make it a part of your daily routine.

​Talk it Out: Don't keep big feelings locked inside. Talk to someone you trust—a friend, family member, partner, or a professional. Sharing a problem often makes it feel smaller.

​Check In on Others: Sometimes the people who seem strongest are the ones who need a chat. Ask your friends, family, and colleagues how they are really doing, and be ready to listen without judgment.

​For the Kids (and Everyone Who Loves to Play!)

​Feel Your Feelings: It's okay to be happy, sad, angry, or worried. All feelings are okay! If you feel a big feeling, tell a grown-up you trust, like a parent, teacher, or older family member.

​Move Your Body: Running, dancing, playing outside, or riding your bike is great for your mind! It helps you get wiggles out and feel better.

​Find Your Calm: What makes you feel peaceful? Maybe it's drawing, reading a book, playing with a pet, or taking a few deep, slow breaths. Find your "calm down" tool and use it when you need to.

​Be a Good Friend: If you see a friend looking sad or lonely, be kind. Ask them if they want to play or just sit with them. Being a good friend helps them and helps you feel good, too!

​Remember: You are important, your feelings matter, and it is always okay to ask for help.
​Let's all promise to look after our minds today and every day!

ATTENTION TO ALL PARENTS, TDS AND ANYONE WITH ANY INTEREST IN THE PROVISION OF CHILDCARE IN IRELAND

Now for the REALITY and TRUTH of yesterday’s budget and what it means to the Childcare Sector.

1. Provision of 2,300 additional childcare places:
Until such time as the Department sits down and works with the people and services on the ground in relation to the staffing crisis - NO new places can be obtained.
Example:
We have been informed of cases where a qualified primary school teacher with a Teaching Council number can go into a primary school and work with any age group including junior infants (4 to 5 year olds) BUT CANNOT work in ratio in an Early Years setting. This is due to the terms set down by OUR department.
The Department of Education sets down that the qualification requirement for a post of SNA is the Junior Certificate. This does not mean that SNAs working in schools do not have much higher qualifications for the very important role that they play in working with our children with additional needs but in comparison any post for AIM in an Early Years setting MUST have at least a level 5 in Childcare.
Many organisations and individuals have literally been crying out to our department for years now, to put in place, even temporary measures in order to solve our staffing crisis. Yes, the department has a Recruitment and Retention Committee set up which basically is a tick box exercise as NOTHING has been achieved or acted on.
So basically, the Government can throw out more funding to build new extensions, buildings etc to look good ON PAPER and have created more places but as we deal with REALITY, these extensions, buildings will be empty as THERE IS NOT THE STAFF to run them. Alternatively, staff will leave existing services to work in these buildings and thus closing rooms or entire services in order to “create” new places. The introduction of new SNA posts in Primary schools will start a massive recruitment drive that will take Early Years staff into better paid and less problematic positions in Primary Schools.
Again, the REALITY: many existing services today have places available but cannot open them as they do not have the staff.

2. In relation to this:
“As well as the 10% increase in the capitation rate for AIM Level 7, which will be introduced from October 2025”
The department pays some of the wages to AIM Level 7 staff, a new ERO for the payment of wages to all staff will be signed into LAW on the 13th of October meaning that all staff will get an increase in wages, so stating this in a budget announcement is not something new as it must be done.

3. “over 286,00 individual children benefit from the National Childcare Scheme, an increase of approximately 35,000 children or 14% over 2025”
In REALITY no child would benefit from the National Childcare Scheme unless the administration work was completed by the Childcare services. This administration work takes hours to complete. Most services now have to take staff from working with the children in order to ensure that our parents get the subsidies they are entitled to or employ a full time administrator. The department would say that we are paid for this via the Core Funding, in REALITY this is simply not true. In other sectors (schools/college) there are secretaries in place paid by government to do this. After all, the NCS/ECCE is a payment to parents not services. Maybe the department should take this role from us and ensure that parents get the subsidies they are entitled to.

4. Has the Department researched why so many services are pulling from Core Funding and having to increase fees to parents in order to exist?
“Maintenance of fees at 2021 levels for a majority of providers and further reductions on the maximum weekly fee cap”
In REALITY again Core Funding does not cover the increase of costs which has taken place over the last number of years. The department again sits down and works out the true cost of quality childcare in 2025/2026. Services have submitted this information for the past 3 years, detailing costs to the department in order for them to do this and increase the Core Funding into services. The REALITY will be more services will be pulling from Core Funding and fees to parents will only go up. Further reductions on the maximum weekly fee cap will only encourage services to exit the Core Funding model.
Minister Foley said
“This Budget also makes important progress on reducing the cost of early learning and care for families while also supporting early years educators and providers to deliver high quality services for children. IN REALITY this is basically not true.

This budget does nothing to improve our sector or increase places. Be under no illusion of that.

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