Sir, – I am concerned that parents, who generally know their children best, are virtually left out of the debate on early childhood education (“Ministers back extra year of free pre-school”, Front page, May 9th).
Parents have not been asked whether they want to send their young children to playschool five days each week. I preferred to send one of my children just two days per week, but for two years; this option no longer exists for my youngest child because there are no places except for the State-sponsored five days.
There is also scant evidence that early childhood education is even beneficial, except in underprivileged populations; naturally such children should be targeted for intervention and education as necessary.
In the case of middle-class taxpayers, families in which one parent works and the other stays at home are heavily subsidising (through onerous taxes and child benefit cuts) the childcare and playschool of dual-income couples who usually take home more money than the one-income families. All to no demonstrable benefit for the children.
Meanwhile, the essential contribution to child development made by at-home parents is at best ignored, and at worst denigrated by representatives of the State.
How disappointing that in these straitened economic times, when the rights of children are being highlighted, an ideology obsessed with gender equality and forcing parents into the workforce is willing to spend money to pry children out of the arms of their own parents. – Yours, etc,
JENNIFER MOONEY,
Cloghan,
Lifford PO,
Co Donegal.