25% of east inner-city children cannot access preschool

New research has shown that one in four children cannot access pre-school places in the north-east inner city.

The study conducted by the Childhood Development Initiative highlights the shortage in ELC (early learning and care) provision in the community and makes a series of recommendations on how to support affected families.

Labour Party Senator Marie Sherlock said the lack of free preschool places in the area needs to be immediately addressed by the Government.

“It is simply unacceptable that as many as one in four children of pre-school age cannot access a free pre-school place in Dublin’s northeast inner city,” she said.

“Everything we know about breaking the cycle of disadvantage and deprivation points to putting in place support for children in the earliest years of their lives.

“Unfortunately, last night we heard from the Government that they don’t recognise there is a shortage and instead point to increases in supply of early years places across the country.

“This is very frustrating because we see on the ground families and children being left behind before the children ever get to primary school.

“We only know the depth of the problem in the inner city thanks to the sterling work of Young People at Risk (YPAR), a subgroup of the NEIC Task Force.

“Their soon to be published research makes a series of important recommendations on supports to families.

“While the research covers the north east inner city, we know that there is also shortages in the north west inner city with the sudden loss of 55 pre school places in Stoneybatter last June.”