Childcare

The NWCI has continually campaigned for the development of a quality childcare infrastructure in Ireland. The NWCI believes that quality childcare should be a right for all children. The absence of support for women to access affordable quality childcare remains one of the most significant barriers to women's equal participation in society. Ireland has the second highest childcare costs across the OECD and this particularly impacts on mothers on low incomes and on lone parents.

In 2005, the NWCI developed a state subsidised model of childcare in Ireland based on international evidence - 'An Accessible model of Childcare' and continues to campaign for its implementation.

Further information on current childcare costs and their impact on women's equality are contains in Who Cares? Challenging the myth of gender and Care in Ireland.

The NWCI has also produced a Briefing Paper in relation to Child Benefit and the current proposals by Government to either tax, means test or cut Child Benefit. 'All our Children - NWCI Briefing Paper on Child Benefit'.

How important is child benefit to parents?

National Women's Council of Ireland Survey, March 2009

The objective of the 'How important is Child Benefit to Parents' survey was to get a sense of how parents in Ireland view Child Benefit in the context of our current economic climate. The survey was circulated to the NWCI membership. A sample of 200 respondents was taken. The NWCI states that this 'random sample' of our membership is not reflective of our entire membership and simply represents a 'snapshot' of the feeling that exists amongst parents & families in relation to child benefit & childcare in the lead-up to the Budget on April 7th, 2009.

11 questions were asked & respondents could then choose to provide personal details, such as name, email & telephone contacts etc, or could choose to remain anonymous.

Key findings from the survey

  • 95.7% of respondents were female.
  • 69.4% of respondents were paying for some form of childcare/crèche/childminder/nanny/after-school care.
  • 68.5% were using this service full-time and 31.5% part-time.
  • 66.5% of respondents described Child Benefit as a 'critical part' of their family income.
  • 45% said it would be 'a financial disaster' if Child Benefit were to be taxed/cut in forthcoming budgets.
  • 24.6% described Child Benefit as their 'survival cushion' at the moment.

Quotes from NWCI Survey: 'How important is child benefit to parents'

'I'm a lone parent struggling to make ends to meet, as it is, to lose any of my child benefit would be a disaster'

To the government - 'Keep your hands off my child benefit'

'I depend on the money to pay for childcare'

'Parents are struggling to make ends meet'

'I think child benefit is very important I rely on it every month to get nappies, clothes, shoes and essentials my son needs. Often I have relied on it to get extra food and freeze it. Without it my budget would be stretched even tighter and I don't think I would be able to manage'

'Child Benefit is the bread and butter for most lone parent families. Cutting this payment will increase child poverty and impact severely on lone mothers' dependant on welfare and low income families. The promises to end child poverty, and promote equality within our society by the governments of the Celtic Tiger are now willing to feed us all to the lions'

'Cutting this will increase child poverty and will impact severely on lone mothers dependant on welfare and low income families'

'The effects of the child benefit being cut for me would mean I could no longer work as I could not afford childcare this would be disaster for my physical and mental well being'

'The promises to end child poverty and promote equality within our society by the governments of the Celtic Tiger are now willing to feed us all to the lions'

'Child benefit is our vital financial cushion at the moment......as we have two public sector workers in our house, it is providing a vital part of our family income'

'Child benefit is vital for women and children'