Minister for Children Brendan Smith TD launches the South Dublin County Childcare Strategy 2006-2010 in County Hall Tallaght on Thursday 30th August.

South Dublin County Childcare Committee (SDCCC) today (30^th, August) launched their 2007-2010 Childcare Strategic Plan. The strategic plan has been developed under the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 under the Office of the Minister for Children. With Programme funding of 575 million, NCIP seeks to create 50,000 childcare places by 2010, including 5,000 after school care and 10,000 pre school education places.

The objectives of the programme are; to promote the provision of quality and affordable childcare, enhance the capacity of home based and centre based childcare providers, develop and integrate citywide childcare infrastructure research and develop and disseminate best practice innovative models of childcare delivery and supports. In addition, support will be available for childcare facilities for disadvantaged parents and their children as well as quality measures for childminders and parent and toddler groups. The childcare supports and services will be delivered at local level, through the City and County Childcare Committees.

South Dublin County has a population of 246, 919, with a comparatively youthful population of 41% under the age of 25. SDCCCs priority is to enhance the capacity of childcare providers engaged in all forms of childcare provision be it home based or centre based.

Currently there are a total of 265 providers in the SDCCCs data bank. 192 are classified as private and 73 as community. Research has indicated that availability, accessibility and affordability are the three key factors, which parents prioritise when searching for quality childcare.

Cliona Frost, Chairperson of the SDCCC said in South Dublin County there are a high percentage of people under the age of twenty-five.Much remains to be achieved in terms of supplying high quality and affordable childcare and the SDCCC is committed to creating an environment that values all children, by facilitating the development of an infrastructure of high quality edu-care services that support the holistic development of children in the context of family and community throughout South Dublin County

The South Dublin County Childcare Committee Ltd established in 2003, is a partnership of statutory & voluntary organisations and agencies, who have come together to facilitate the identification of shared values and key priorities facing the childcare sector. It puts in place, through active consultation with the people who both provide and use the service, a strategy to tackle these priorities.

Ends.

For Further Information

South Dublin County Childcare Committee 01 457 0122

Sean McGinty, Manager 087 997 5820