Sir, - I read with interest the article by Kathryn Holmquist "Mothers tied to children's bib strings" (The Irish Times, August 25th). She cites the example of a woman in Galway who needs to return to her career but cannot find a "nurturing, consistent minder who will love her baby, contribute to his well-being, stimulate him and give him the cuddles and reassurance he needs when he's off-form.".
Ms Holmquist reminds us that under the National Development Plan a total of £290 million is to be invested in childcare services. It is clear that this sum is intended only for professional childcare. The question must be asked: why cannot a child's natural parent be given the freedom to look after her baby? Why cannot this sum be made available to a parent who wishes to become a full-time homemaker but who cannot because he/she needs to work to live?
The last Budget made it clear that the Government believes in the outmoded modernist myth in which people are seen primarily as units of production in commerce and industry, like cogs in a machine. It contributes more to the well-being of our society if one professional looks after 10 children rather than if 10 parents care for them at home and so are unavailable to meet the needs of "the economy" - or so the story goes.
This policy works only if the work done at home or in the voluntary sector is devalued. Yet any government which cares about the people it is elected to serve must be aware that this form of service is of incalculable value: it is the production, often in difficult circumstances, of loving homes and communities in which the disabled and the elderly as well as the young can enjoy the care and security they need to achieve their full potential and develop their sense of dignity and self-worth. The quality of life in this country will be greatly diminished if such service becomes a thing of the past. Recent events have shown us the serious problems among young people across the entire social spectrum. Professional childcare facilities, excellent though they may be, cannot be expected to provide services for young people between the ages of eight and 18. Only parents can provide the continuity and the individual attention that will meet the needs of young people in this age group. - Yours, etc.,
Rosemary Doorly, Mount Merrion, Co Dublin.