Significant investment is needed for childcare training

A new organisation for childcare workers has said significant investment is needed to ensure all staff in the sector are adequately trained.

The Association of Childhood Professionals has been launched today in a bid to professionalise the 22,500 workers in the sector, in the wake of breaches of care standards highlighted last week in a Prime Time Investigates programme.

Speaking at today's launch, the Children's Minister Frances Fitzgerald denied having more qualified staff will push up costs for parents.

However the chair of the association, Marion Quinn said that unless the government contributes funds to the training, childcare will get more expensive.

"The government needs to take responsibility it needs to put this as a priority," she said.

"I know people are saying there is no money there now but I think things can be found if you're looking at this being the absolute foundation for children."

However the Children's Minister said that she will introduce a minimum standard of training and registration to the early childhood sector by next year.

"It is unacceptable that up to now that all you had to do was notify that you intended to open a facility to look after children," she said.

"We're going to have registration as well and minimum standards of qualification built into contracts in 2014

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