People Before Profit Cllr Madeleine Johansson has expressed concern that community childcare schemes are being phased out from October 2019. The National Childcare Scheme to be introduced in October will negatively affect those who most need child care, and will have devastating consequences for Community child care. Parents using childcare through CETS and CCS will lose out financially with the new scheme. Councillor Johansson said: “Recently I attended a briefing hosted by People Before Profit with SPARK and an independent researcher to inform TDs and Senators of the impact the National Childcare Scheme will have on low income families. As a local Cllrr I am concerned that the loss of the current CETS scheme will impact negatively on community crèches locally. The CETS scheme is what is currently holding community créches as it allows parents on either an ETB course or on a CE scheme to access childcare, and is run by many parents availing of CE schemes.
Similar losses are faced by parents on CCS scheme as some parents currently availing of CCS will end up paying almost 400 euros more under the new subsidy scheme. I am asking Minister Zappone to act immediately to ensure low income families can pay for childcare and to protect our local community childcare. It is a massive flaw in policy that a new National Childcare Scheme will hit the families that need childcare the most. I will be working alongside local community crèche providers to raise their concerns. If any parents or childcare providers have concerns with the National Childcare Scheme do not hesitate to contact me.’
Real Example of Charlene* a lone parent with a school age child and working full time and needing 6 hours wrap around school hours per day.
Current scheme Proposed scheme
CCS NCS
Crèche cost €850 pm Crèche cost €850 pm
CCS subsidy €628 pm NCS subsidy €243 pm
Parent contribution €222 pm Parent contribution €607 pm
This is a loss of €385 per month, which will force this parent out of work.
