Parents at a creche in Meath say rooms in the facility have closed on about 200 occasions since last October.
The creche in Enfield, operated by Tigers Childcare, has been forced to regularly close rooms – sometimes for a week at a time – due to staff shortages.
Parents say the situation has caused immense stress on families, with some children regressing regarding socialisation and toilet training.
One mother said she was forced to change jobs so she could work remotely, as she has to be at home so often to mind her daughter.
As reported by The Irish Times earlier this month, Tigers has been forced to close rooms at various creches multiple times in recent months due to staff shortages and delays with Garda vetting.
The situation is particularly acute at the Enfield branch with parents saying, by the end of this month, there will have been 204 closures across 176 operational days since October.
Parents have been refunded for the days in question.
Some of the closures were half days, but parents said most relate to full-day closures. Parents have already been informed of more closures due to happen later this month.
One mother said her daughter’s room is regularly closed for a week at a time.
[ Parents taking ‘fake sick days’ as creches close at short notice Opens in new window ]
This mother, who did not wish to be named, said she recently had to leave a job she “loved” as her company required staff to be in the office four days a week. She said there was no way she could do this as she could not, rely on the creche to be open, so she felt compelled to find another job.
“Because of the closures at creche, I had to leave the job that I didn’t want to leave and go somewhere else where they’re more flexible with the days that I have to be in the office.”
The woman said the situation is placing a huge strain on her and her family.
“The stress I’ve had to deal with in the last year has been through the roof. I just can’t express it.
“It’s been hard to progress my career, it’s been hard to feel like I do a good job at my workplace, and as a mother as well ... I feel like a failure in both directions. It’s just not sustainable, it’s not manageable.”
She said the situation is also taking a toll on her daughter, who has “gone backwards”. The young girl was “happy to go in ... until this whole madness started”, now “she cries from the minute she wakes up ... she keeps saying she doesn’t want to go in, she doesn’t know who’s going to be in her room”.
Another mother, who has three children in the creche and after-school programme, said many parents have “used up” their annual leave or force majeure leave from work or had to rely on grandparents to take over childminding duties.
The creche tends to alternate which rooms are closed, but as this woman’s children attend different rooms, one or more of them have been at home consistently for the last six weeks.
“I’m six weeks in a row on and off, and this week I have two of them at home,” she said.
“My husband and I have had to cover either taking leave or bringing in the grandparents [for] 65 days since October.”
This mother, who also wanted to remain anonymous, said there has been high turnover of staff at the creche since Tigers took it over in 2023. The centre was previously called Angel Faces, but the situation has become particularly acute in recent months.
She said the lack of routine has meant some children are “regressing with their toilet training ... and it’s knocking the kids’ confidence”.
There is a lack of childcare options in the area, making it difficult for parents to find an alternative option, she said.
Tiger Childcare runs more than 30 creches in Dublin, Meath, Kildare and other counties. The company was acquired by UK group Kids Planet Day Nurseries last month in a reported multimillion euro deal.
Chief executive Karen Clince confirmed the business had to close rooms in a number of creches in recent months, saying Enfield has been particularly badly affected.
“Like other childcare providers across the country, we have faced ongoing recruitment and retention challenges,” said Clince.
“Enfield has experienced particular staffing challenges over a sustained period and, as a result, has been disproportionately impacted compared with many of our other services. We recognise the impact this has had on families and understand their frustration.”
Clince said the company was actively recruiting new employees and had introduced increased pay scales.
“At all times, our priority is maintaining appropriate staffing ratios, safeguarding standards and the quality of care provided to children. Where difficult operational decisions have had to be made, they are always taken as a last resort and with those priorities in mind,” she said.
Read the full article at The Irish Times →
Ireland