Review of the Importance of Dublin 15 Community Childcare Services and of some of the Challenges they face

In January 2009 repersentives from the Community Crèches Management committees and managers from the childcare committees came together to look at the effects the funding CCSS from which they are funded through was having on the community crèches. There was a real concern that financially the crèches were struggling to be sustainable through this funding and that families could not afford the fees in the community crèches.

Recommendations from this meeting were to put together a piece of research highlighting the challenges the community crèches were facing re; funding and to also highlight, the level of needs through the Hardiker model for the children and families attending the service.

The research highlights the profile of Blancharstown, the level of need of children attending the services but also the effects of funding through the subvention scheme. These childcare services are not for profit organisations and many of the children they accommodate would not be able to afford a place in a private crèche facility. The survival of these services in Blancharstown is crucial and continued support is needed to ensure their viability.