Survey on the Real Cost of Childcare, conducted by Meehan Tully & Associates Ltd. on behalf of Early Childhood Ireland.

General Information

Early Childhood Ireland has commissioned Mark Tully of Meehan Tully & Associates Ltd. to conduct a national, representative review of the real cost of childcare. This is a really important piece of research that will strongly inform our advocacy work, in particular as DCYA is working to develop the Single Affordable Childcare System. Your input is crucial to its success and efficacy. You may be aware of the work Mark Tully recently carried out on behalf of Limerick and Dublin City Childcare Committees on the real cost of childcare in these two areas. The reports highlighted substantial issues of sustainability across all current childcare models. This is a problem for which we want to identify solutions. We know that many of you have often, in the past, offered to make your accounts available for an analysis. Early Childhood Ireland would like to take you up on this offer as we roll out this national review by asking you to complete this survey on your finances.

The survey will take no more than half an hour if you have all your financial information in front of you. The survey is entirely anonymous and will be analysed by Mark Tully. If you prefer to fill out the survey in paper form, you will have the chance to do so next week as we post out our quarterly magazine, Early Years, where you will find a printed out copy of the survey.

We greatly appreciate your immense role and help in making this review possible and ensure its timely impact.

Question Title

* 1. Completing the entire survey will entitle you to enter a prize draw by Early Childhood Ireland, with a chance to win an iPad. To enter the draw, please enter your phone number below and complete all sections of the survey. The phone number is purely for the purposes of the draw and will be deleted once the draw is made. If you do not wish to enter the draw, just leave the box blank. Thank you.

Question Title

* 2. In which county are you based?

Question Title

* 3. Are you urban or rural-based?

Urban

Rural

Comment

Question Title

* 4. Which of the following applies to your childcare service?

Privately owned

Community-based

Comments

Question Title

* 5. On an average day, how many people would you employ in the following areas?

Full-time Manager

Part-time Manager

Full-time Room Leaders

Part-time Room Leaders

Full-time Early Years Educators

Part-time Early Years Educators

Full-time Cook

Part-time Cook

Community Employment Staff

Job bridge, TÚS, placements, etc.

Other, please specify

Question Title

* 6. On an average day, how many babies do you have in each of the following?

Full-time

Part-time

Sessional

Question Title

* 7. On an average day, how many Toddlers do you have in each of the following?

Full-time

Part-time

Sessional

Question Title

* 8. On an average day, how many ECCE children do you have?

ECCE

Question Title

* 9. On average, what percentage of your ECCE children stay on for full-day care?

Question Title

* 10. On an average day, how many After-schoolers do you have in each of the following?

After-schoolers

Question Title

* 11. On an average day, how many non-ECCE Pre-schoolers do you have in each of the following?

Full-time

Part-time

Sessional