Sir, – I am appalled that a newly established group of childcare providers' first proposal is that unqualified staff should be permitted to work with young children ("Childcare providers want to lower qualifications standards for staff", News, October 6th).
All the international evidence suggests that having properly qualified staff is the essential starting point in ensuring quality care and education for babies and young children.
This is also the shared position in Ireland of academics, practitioners, trade unions, children’s rights advocates and, I’m proud to say, as its chairwoman, of Early Childhood Ireland and our 3,800 members. – Yours, etc,
JILLIAN VAN TURNHOUT,
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Dublin 18.