Childcare

Finding a suitable childcare arrangement is a key consideration for many parents,

particularly for those with young children. Increases in female participation in the

labour market have meant that an increasing number of children are availing of non-

parental care during the day. According to data gathered through the EU-SILC survey

and presented in the State of the Nation’s Children report, in 2023 22% of children

under 3 years were in formal childcare or education, compared to 94% for children

aged between 3 years and the minimum school starting age (p.64).

The Irish Government currently delivers the Early Childhood Care and Education

Programme (ECCE), which affords all children in Ireland two-years of free preschool

(up to three hours per weekday). It is available to children who have turned 2 years

and 8 months and is available until they start primary school (for a maximum of two

years). Uptake levels exceed 90%, meaning that at the time of the forthcoming wave

of data collection, many respondents will be availing of ECCE, and will have a study

child in a participating childcare service.

There has been much debate about the likely short- and longer-term implications of

the use of different types of childcare in terms of their effect on children’s outcomes.

Research suggests that the details of early childcare, including type, timing and

duration, can have a significant impact on a range of aspects of the child’s

development. Whilst some longitudinal studies indicate long-term benefits of quality

early childcare on cognitive development for school-aged children (Loeb et al, 2007),

particularly those from at-risk backgrounds (Peisner-Feinberg et al, 2001), other

studies have reported associations between early entrance to group-care and

subsequent behavioural problems (Sylva et al, 2004; Loeb et al. 2007). The

characteristics of the childcare setting and the childminders themselves may also be

helpful in this regard.

There is strong evidence of shortages in suitable childcare services for parents, in

both urban and rural parts of the country; the latest Pobal Annual Early Years Sector

Profile survey revealed that there were more than 30,000 children aged 0-3yrs on

creche waiting lists. 24 Through Growing Up in Ireland there is an opportunity to

gather objective information on respondents’ experiences of difficulties securing

childcare to quantify the extent of the issue across the country. This information

could also explore if difficulty in arranging childcare had ever prevented the

respondent from doing certain things, such as looking for a job or engaging in social

activities. This could provide useful information on which to build childcare policies.

Note, previous questions on this topic were adapted from the Quarterly National

Household Survey 2002 Childcare Module.

Satisfaction with childcare arrangements feeds into broader considerations around

parents’ work-life balance and time available for family and children. These questions

24https://www.earlychildhoodireland.ie/press-release-january-2025/

also give an insight into the convenience or otherwise of the chosen childcare

arrangement.

It should be sufficient for just the primary caregiver to answer questions about

childcare.

Recommendations for Cohort 24 at age 3:

•Collect detailed information on current childcare arrangements as described above. Questions should focus on the intention to avail of one or two years of ECCE, and separately if any other form of childcare is being used to supplement that. Questions on this topic previously featured in Cohort 08 at age 3 and Cohort 24 at 9 months for reference.

•Include questions to the parent on the childcare setting itself, the cost of the service, the characteristics of the providers and, where applicable, of the childminder(s). These could be particularly important if there is low engagement with the direct survey of childcare providers (see Chapter 6).

•Include further questions outlining the parents’ experience of securing childcare; the reason they chose their current childcare arrangement, difficulties securing childcare, and their satisfaction with their current childcare.

•For parents of children not currently availing of childcare, it would be useful to ask them why they are not currently doing so and if they have any future plans to avail of childcare.

•To facilitate an associated survey of childcare providers, it will be necessary to get the parents for permission to contact their childcare provider, and associated details.

3.5 Summary of New Topics