Suffer little children

Last week’s

‘Prime Time’ documentary,

‘A Breach of Trust’, shone a disturbing light on the poor standard of care in some of our crèches. Immediately after the programme, we asked our Facebook followers for their reaction. Here’s an edited selection of some of the outraged comments we received.

Tina Kelly Hewitt: As a childcare worker myself I am absolutely sickened. I can’t believe that anyone could treat small children like that. I’m saddened, but we must remember not to paint every childcare worker with the same brush.

Michelle Thompson: A lot of mothers like myself will have a sleepless night tonight.

Joan O’Mara: I am sickened by the programme but glad that it was shown and the fact that it brings the truth to light: strapping young children into chairs, shouting abuse at them, throwing them around floors and aggressively putting them into chairs. OMG I am so upset about the whole thing.

Elaine Keogh: I am sick to my stomach; my blood is boiling. They should be named and shamed. I hope they are all closed down.

Karen Stimpson Taylor: Ireland voted to protect children, to improve the rights of children and this behaviour still takes place. What happened to Garda vetting?

Kellie Shannon: Every crèche and playschool should have CCTV installed. Absolutely shocking.

Christine Huston: Have used crèches for years with very few problems. Most staff care and care well. That said, as a parent to any one of those children I would want justice.

Emer Lynam: I’m a childcare worker and I was upset and disgusted, but every crèche and childcare worker is not the same. The majority look after the children with love and care.

Lynette Howard Kinsella: I’m sick thinking about these poor babies.

Lisa Conway Phelan: Install CCTV in every crèche, the same as the UK, so parents can view daily activities when they wish. It’s sickening what we have just witnessed!

Lisa Kelly: Big Brother-style monitoring, I think, is the only way forward for crèches. What parent is going to be happy putting a child into a crèche after that tonight? It’s hard enough leaving them as it is without the added worry.

Kevin Snoop McDonnell: All crèches should have cameras and be reviewed every month. It’s a disgrace in this day and age that people can get away with these things in such a trusted position. We seriously need to learn from past.

Hilary French Connolly: Disgusting. We put our trust in these people to watch our kids.

Helena Doheny Nolan: How dare these girls treat these children in this horrific manner. They obviously had no feeling for the children in their care.

Aishling Flynn: Sick, just sick.

Pauline Logan: It was sickening to watch. Where were the managers? In a well-run crèche the manager would be well aware of how the staff were interacting with the children and how accurate reports were etc.

Nicola Judge: Sick to my Stomach! Shocking! Name and shame.

Colette O’Connor Gore: They should have named and shamed those girls. Poor little babies, not even able to tell their mums. My heart goes out to their parents having to watch that. Where is the HSE, too?

Corrina Stone: Every crèche should have to display their last inspection report in their reception areas. Parents should be able to make an informed decision without having to invoke the Freedom of Information Act. I hope court cases will follow on from this investigation. At the same time I do feel sorry for the great crèches out there that have to deal with the backlash from this.

Caitriona Cunningham: My child will NEVER, EVER, EVER go to a crèche. It’s an absolute disgrace the way those young children and babies were treated. Those people should be ashamed of themselves.

Fiona Mahon: I’m speechless. It’s horrific what those girls did and the way the children were treated. My heart goes out to the parents of those children.

Liz Taquet: I was lucky to have a great family to help with my kids, thank God. I never put them anywhere. My blood is boiled.

Jacqui Mythen Crowther: I’m shocked and horrified but we see it time after time – people not qualified for the job they are in.

Kathleen Kitty Smith: It’s bloody scandalous so it is.

Mary J O’Donohoe: Shocked, sickened, disgusted.