RTÉ Investigates tonight (21:35): Crèches, Behind Closed Doors

This RTÉ Investigates programme will be on tonight, Wednesday, on RTÉ 1 at 9:35pm. Hopefully it won't be too disturbing but already today:

Dublin crèche chain owner steps away from childcare duties: Hyde & Seek owner leaves ‘front line’ role after undercover RTE report reveals ‘issues’

And: Crèche owner to stand down after concerns raised over care

RTÉ can reveal that one of the owners of the Hyde & Seek Childcare crèche chain in Dublin, Anne Davy, is to step down and take no future role in front line childcare provision as a result of findings to be revealed in an RTÉ Investigates documentary.

RTÉ Investigates: Crèches, Behind Closed Doors, to be broadcast tonight, went undercover to look at standards of care in the company.

Hyde & Seek Childcare is a family-run business owned and run by the Davy family - Anne and Peter Davy and their daughter Siobhan Davy.

The company has four crèches across Dublin city catering for children from three months up to 12 years old.



Recently, RTÉ Investigates was contacted by several families who were concerned about the standards of care their children had received while at various Hyde & Seek Childcare crèches.

RTÉ has also learned that last year the company opened a new, purpose-built facility in Glasnevin, but failed to register it appropriately.

The crèche opened in January 2018, but unknown to parents, it went unregistered for some 14 months.

For months after the crèche opened there was an exchange of correspondence between the company and the Child & Family Agency Tusla, with Tusla requesting the company complete its registration.

However, the crèche continued to operate without registration, meaning it was not subject to regulatory inspections and checks.

Earlier this year, Hyde & Seek pleaded guilty at the Dublin District Court to the non-registration and was given the benefit of the Probation Act.

The crèche was eventually registered on 1 March 2019.

But this was not the first time the company found itself in trouble.

In 2004, company owner Anne Davy was convicted when staff from their Tolka Road branch left behind a three-year-old boy on his own at a local playground; she was also convicted for a number of other breaches of regulations.

In 2007, she was convicted again for breaching regulations, including child to adult ratios and failing to keep records. During these years, the company changed name three times.

Tusla inspection reports for the various Hyde & Seek crèches also identify numerous non-compliances.

RTÉ had two undercover researchers successfully apply for childcare positions with the Hyde & Seek company.

Both researchers had the required qualifications, are highly trained and were garda-vetted by RTÉ.

RTÉ also worked with two care experts, who advised it at all points on the evidence gathered by the researchers.


Crèches and preschool facilities must abide by a lengthy list of regulations, which have been designed to protect the welfare of children.

However, it was not long before our workers started to observe repeated breaches of regulation.

Some of those issues observed include the failure of Hyde & Seek management to ensure staff were garda-vetted before working with children.

Tusla regulations state that vetting must be completed before a staff member is allowed any access to children, but this did not happen.

RTÉ also witnessed concerns around sleep room conditions.

For example, at the company's crèche on Tolka Road, cots were packed so tightly together workers found it difficult to provide appropriate care for children at nap times.

RTÉ also observed frequent and significant breaches of ratios.

Tusla guidelines set out strict adult to child ratios, which crèches must abide by so that staff can look after children in their care.

But on 75% of the days our researcher worked in the Tolka Road branch, room ratios were in breach of regulations, sometimes they were minor, but more often they were serious breaches.



On a number of occasions, this meant up to 20 children were left in one worker's care for periods of approximately one hour at a time.

Significantly, the poor practices RTÉ witnessed were not performed by care staff, but by Hyde & Seek owner Anne Davy herself. This included how she interacted with and handled children.

RTÉ has reported its concerns to both Tusla and Dublin Fire Brigade and continues to liaise with both bodies.

In a statement to RTÉ, Hyde & Seek Childcare said it has been operating crèches for over 15 years and strives to provide a top quality child-centred service.

However, having been made aware of our findings, the company has confirmed that Anne Davy is stepping down and "will take no future role in front line childcare provision".

In a statement, she acknowledged "that in recent months she has occasionally fallen below the standards of our behavioural management policy and has found herself being short, rather than simply direct".

Anne Davy added that she "very much regrets this".

RTÉ Investigates: Crèches Behind Closed Doors will be broadcast tonight on RTÉ One at 9.35pm.

I hope all the workers in my local crèche, most of whom are not from Ireland and about half of whom are male, are vetted properly. There cannot be enough inspections of such places as far as I'm concerned. Or cameras. I've also often been in there in the morning when one person had far more children than was legally allowed. There seems to be a recurrent shortage of qualified staff, and despite the fees which all parents pay many of these workers are paid a pittance for what is incredibly hard work. With the salaries being so low and the cost of living in Dublin so high I'm always concerned about the sort of employees a crèche can attract. The sooner all pre-school education comes under state control, as secondary school education did from 1967, the better.

sasta le

[Deleted User] wrote: »

This RTÉ Investigates programme will be on tonight, Wednesday, on RTÉ 1 at 9:35pm. Hopefully it won't be too disturbing but already today:

Dublin crèche chain owner steps away from childcare duties: Hyde & Seek owner leaves ‘front line’ role after undercover RTE report reveals ‘issues’

And: Crèche owner to stand down after concerns raised over care



I hope all the workers in my local crèche, most of whom are not from Ireland and about half of whom are male, are vetted properly. There cannot be enough inspections of such places as far as I'm concerned. Or cameras. I've also often been in there in the morning when one person had far more children than was legally allowed. There seems to be a recurrent shortage of qualified staff, and despite the fees which all parents pay many of these workers are paid a pittance for what is incredibly hard work. With the salaries being so low and the cost of living in Dublin so high I'm always concerned about the sort of employees a crèche can attract. The sooner all pre-school education comes under state control, as secondary school education did from 1967, the better.

Male crèche workers?

sasta le

sasta le wrote: »

Male crèche workers?

Yes, absolutely.

Utter Consternation

It goes without saying but putting the care of babies and young kids into the hands of private businesses is not a great idea when profit is the end game.

None of these businesses are doing it out of the good of their health.

One eyed Jack

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I hope all the workers in my local crèche, most of whom are not from Ireland and about half of whom are male, are vetted properly. There cannot be enough inspections of such places as far as I'm concerned. Or cameras. I've also often been in there in the morning when one person had far more children than was legally allowed. There seems to be a recurrent shortage of qualified staff, and despite the fees which all parents pay many of these workers are paid a pittance for what is incredibly hard work. With the salaries being so low and the cost of living in Dublin so high I'm always concerned about the sort of employees a crèche can attract. The sooner all pre-school education comes under state control, as secondary school education did from 1967, the better.

So in spite of all your reservations and concerns and what you hope the State will do to protect children, you still see fit to leave your own children in the care and supervision of adults whom you don’t consider entirely trustworthy.

You can hardly be surprised then by the lack of action from anyone else when you aren’t even prepared to take full responsibility for your own children yourself.

MontgomeryClift

Raise your own children, and don't leave them in the care of strangers. Problem solved.

suicide_circus

the wider family unit has broken down and both parents have to work so we have subcontracted the care of our children and our old people out to strangers. thats progress folks.

One eyed Jack

suicide_circus wrote: »

the wider family unit has broken down and both parents have to work so we have subcontracted the care of our children and our old people out to strangers. thats progress folks.

No, both parents don’t have to work, they choose to work, and they choose to outsource the care of their children to people who advertise childcare as a service. It’s no different than parents have been doing since the dawn of human civilisation. Family unit hasn’t broken down at all, it’s still very much the prevalent and fundamental unit of society.

Wheety

sasta le wrote: »

Male crèche workers?

That a problem?

Plopsu

One eyed Jack wrote: »

No, both parents don’t have to work, they choose to work,

Except in all the cases where they both have to work. Y'know, to be able to afford rent and food and all that kinda stuff.

Neyite

MontgomeryClift wrote: »

Raise your own children, and don't leave them in the care of strangers. Problem solved.

Will do.



As soon as the magic money tree I planted in the garden bears fruit. Should be any day now.

LirW

One eyed Jack wrote: »

No, both parents don’t have to work, they choose to work, and they choose to outsource the care of their children to people who advertise childcare as a service. It’s no different than parents have been doing since the dawn of human civilisation. Family unit hasn’t broken down at all, it’s still very much the prevalent and fundamental unit of society.

Last time I looked living costs in Dublin are so high that most can't manage on one salary when there are kids involved because the living costs are just so high.

I know what you gonna say: then move somewhere where it's cheaper, yes that is an option but your chance of finding employment dwindle or you find yourself commuting which is expensive in itself.

Also the glorified stay-at-home housewife wasn't around forever. If you were rich you had a nanny, if you were poor you would indeed work on the fields or in factories and your children either work too or the older generation took care of them. It was only a short period of time in human history and only quite recent that the family unit would be quite small and women would stay at home to raise their own children.

Stevieluvsye

sasta le wrote: »

Male crèche workers?

Imagine me writing Female builders here.............................

eviltwin

sasta le wrote: »

Male crèche workers?

Yeah, what's so strange about that?

The male carer in my sons after school service is imo the best on the team.

Neyite

eviltwin wrote: »

Yeah, what's so strange about that?

The male carer in my sons after school service is imo the best on the team.

Same as that. The one fella in our son's creche was excellent. Fully vetted and qualified and genuinely loved his job. The kids all adored him too.



The worst one who I found roaring at my son was the most qualified out of the lot. The rest of them had fetac and this one had a degree in child development.

One eyed Jack

One eyed Jack wrote: »

So in spite of all your reservations and concerns and what you hope the State will do to protect children, you still see fit to leave your own children in the care and supervision of adults whom you don’t consider entirely trustworthy.

You can hardly be surprised then by the lack of action from anyone else when you aren’t even prepared to take full responsibility for your own children yourself.

This is ignorant. Yes, it would be great if we had the freedom to stay at home but for the vast majority of parents of childcare-age children in Dublin two people must work outside the home to pay the mortgage. That means childcare is needed. This shouldn't need explaining. I don't know if they are 'entirely trustworthy', but by law they are expected to be. Again, there is a distinction which seems to elude you. As I said, like every other parent I'm putting my faith in a system which says the workers are properly vetted, but a system which in this RTÉ programme is showing childcare workers who are not actually properly vetted. What, precisely, do you expect each parent to do: an RTÉ Investigates-level investigation into every potential crèche before they send their kids there?

MontgomeryClift

MontgomeryClift wrote: »

Raise your own children, and don't leave them in the care of strangers. Problem solved.

And what lost-cost housing area do you live in to have that luxury over so many others?

Leg End Reject

I don't have children but I'm always amazed at the "stay at home and mind your own kids brigade". I wonder how they feel about those who choose not to work and rely on social welfare, and indeed where they think the money would come from for this is every family opted to have at least one parent at home full-time?

Child care is necessary unless we all pay a hell of a lot more tax to supplement stay at home parents.

MontgomeryClift

Deleted User wrote: »

And what lost-cost housing area do you live in to have that luxury over so many others?

I understand it's difficult, but this whole situation is a tragedy, and everyone just goes along with it. No marches, no Dáil protests (that I've seen), and aside from making the abandonment of children "affordable" it's not even an issue at election time.

Leg End Reject wrote: »

I don't have children but I'm always amazed at the "stay at home and mind your own kids brigade". I wonder how they feel about those who choose not to work and rely on social welfare,

I'm beginning to think they're the sensible ones. I encounter a good few fake disability people through work, and they have houses, children, travel and recreation. They lack for nothing.

and indeed where they think the money would come from for this is every family opted to have at least one parent at home full-time?

Child care is necessary unless we all pay a hell of a lot more tax to supplement stay at home parents.

Yet for a long time one parent could stay at home in developed societies, and they were fine. I wonder what happened...

tHE vAGGABOND

Withdrew our kid from one of this companies creches. Looking forward to seeing it later.

*Huge* staff turn over, which is a bad sign of management in any business

whisky_galore

sasta le wrote: »

Male crèche workers?

*clutches beads*
Oh my, whatever next?

Probably FOREIGN as well.

Leg End Reject

MontgomeryClift wrote: »

I understand it's difficult, but this whole situation is a tragedy, and everyone just goes along with it. No marches, no Dáil protests (that I've seen), and aside from making the abandonment of children "affordable" it's not even an issue at election time.


I'm beginning to think they're the sensible ones. I encounter a good few fake disability people through work, and they have houses, children, travel and recreation. They lack for nothing.

Yet for a long time one parent could stay at home in developed societies, and they were fine. I wonder what happened...

Women wanted to work, therefore families had more money. Demand drives up prices.

That's one possible cause, but surely you don't want to return to a 1950s lifestyle?

eviltwin

MontgomeryClift wrote: »

I understand it's difficult, but this whole situation is a tragedy, and everyone just goes along with it. No marches, no Dáil protests (that I've seen), and aside from making the abandonment of children "affordable" it's not even an issue at election time.


I'm beginning to think they're the sensible ones. I encounter a good few fake disability people through work, and they have houses, children, travel and recreation. They lack for nothing.

Yet for a long time one parent could stay at home in developed societies, and they were fine. I wonder what happened...

Women wanted more than just housework and childcare. Usually one sucker in a family was left with caring for older and disabled family members too without much say.

It's been a struggle at times for us to juggle child care but we love our jobs and neither wanted to be at home full time.

utyh2ikcq9z76b

Leg End Reject wrote: »

Women wanted to work, therefore families had more money. Demand drives up prices.

That's one possible cause, but surely you don't want to return to a 1950s lifestyle?

Who wouldn't want to go back to a 1950s lifestyle, when one income was enough to cover a home and family?

Leg End Reject

Anakin Harsh Chimp wrote: »

Who wouldn't want to go back to a 1950s lifestyle, when one income was enough to cover a home and family?

People who don't want to be stuck at home all day, like affordable air travel and holidays, have access to contraception and have small families where child care isn't a long term need.

Loads of people.

One eyed Jack

Plopsu wrote: »

Except in all the cases where they both have to work. Y'know, to be able to afford rent and food and all that kinda stuff.

Y’know, it’s perfectly feasible for a couple to live within their means, y’know, while they both take responsibility for their children’s rearing and welfare instead of paying eye-watering crèche fees because they also want to be in employment.

One eyed Jack

[Deleted User] wrote: »

This is ignorant. Yes, it would be great if we had the freedom to stay at home but for the vast majority of parents of childcare-age children in Dublin two people must work outside the home to pay the mortgage. That means childcare is needed. This shouldn't need explaining. I don't know if they are 'entirely trustworthy', but by law they are expected to be. Again, there is a distinction which seems to elude you. As I said, like every other parent I'm putting my faith in a system which says the workers are properly vetted, but a system which in this RTÉ programme is showing childcare workers who are not actually properly vetted. What, precisely, do you expect each parent to do: an RTÉ Investigates-level investigation into every potential crèche before they send their kids there?

You’re right, it shouldn’t need explaining, and it doesn’t need excuses either. The facts are that you make lifestyle choices which the State are not responsible for, and then you expect that the State should protect your children from your own lifestyle choices. How do you think that could possibly work?

It’s actually wilful ignorance on your part because you are knowingly and willingly putting your children at risk, but you’re willing to do that because you want the privilege of being able to go to work and not have to take responsibility for raising your own children yourself.

I don’t expect any parent to do anything. I expect that when someone has a complaint about something, that they have at first at least done something themselves to resolve whatever is their issue. You’re arguing that it is the States responsibility to do your homework in the interests of protecting your children. I’m guessing you’re acutely aware of the States record in child protection, so you’re demanding that they do something they haven’t done before, while you’re not willing to help yourself, again I ask you - what do you expect anyone else to do about something which bothers you, when you aren’t even willing to help yourself?

iamwhoiam

Cocoon creches have cameras in every room and parents can log in with a password to view it online . They can see the children and what is going on
The very fact that the cameras are there is a safeguard as the staff are aware of them

One eyed Jack

Leg End Reject wrote: »

Women wanted to work, therefore families had more money. Demand drives up prices.

That's one possible cause, but surely you don't want to return to a 1950s lifestyle?

A what now?


Nearly all of the people (98%) who were looking after home or family in 2016 were women although the number of men in this grouping nearly doubled in the ten years up to 2016, rising from 4,900 to 9,200.


That was in 2016, figures from the Irish Central Statistics Office


The figure in 2016 was 455,500 women working in the home btw.

FionnB

MontgomeryClift wrote: »

I understand it's difficult, but this whole situation is a tragedy, and everyone just goes along with it. No marches, no Dáil protests (that I've seen), and aside from making the abandonment of children "affordable" it's not even an issue at election time.


I'm beginning to think they're the sensible ones. I encounter a good few fake disability people through work, and they have houses, children, travel and recreation. They lack for nothing.

Yet for a long time one parent could stay at home in developed societies, and they were fine. I wonder what happened...

What happened was that policy changed to allow two incomes to be taken into account for a mortgage. Driving up house prices in turn.

sasta le

Wheety wrote: »

That a problem?

Not at all just ever heard or seen a male childminder or crèche worker