Call for stricter childcare rules

Childcare lobby groups have called for stricter regulations in the sector following yesterday's fining of a Dublin creche owner for leaving a toddler unattended in a public park.

Irene Gunning, chief executive of Irish Pre-School Playgroups Association, said the recommended guideline for the adult to child ratio on excursions from creches should be reduced from 1:3 to 1:2.

More resources should be put into inspecting childcare service providers and improving standards in creches, she added.

Meanwhile, the parents of the toddler at the centre of the Dublin District Court case welcomed the fining of creche owner Anne Davy.

Denise McGrane, who had discovered her son's disappearance when she called to collect him from the Giggles Creche and Montessori on Tolka Road, said: "I really thought I wasn't going to see him again that day."

Vincent McGrane said: "We just wanted, in the end, to see that it was said that we weren't lying that she did leave Nathan in the park."

He told RTÉ radio that their son had been taken out of the creche immediately, adding: "We were a bit nervous ourselves putting him somewhere [ else]. He didn't settle in his next place. But he has settled somewhere now, and he is very happy."

The Childcare (Pre-School Services) Regulations 1996 demand an adult to child ratio of 1:8 within creches. But, according to the Health Service Executive (HSE) Northern Area, which took the Giggles case, "best practice and common sense" calls for a 1:3 ratio on outings.

The court heard that only two adults had accompanied 16 children on the trip to Fairview Park.

The regulations also govern areas such as sanitary and play facilities, health and safety, and disciplinary codes.

Ms Gunning said parents were still awaiting the outcome of a Department of Health and Children review of the regulations, which began more than three years ago. "The current regulations do not say anything about qualifications."

As for organised outings, she said: "Some people might say the best approach is to forbid children from going out. But that would be wrong.

"We have to ensure children go out, and go out safely, with qualified staff in good ratios, with good practices, where children's names are checked and so on."

Mary-Lee Stapleton, of the National Children's Nurseries' Association, said not enough inspections were taking place because of a lack of resources.

The HSE Northern Area said it carried out an average of 180 inspections a year. It had taken only one other disciplinary case through the courts.