Ms Heydi Foster-Breslin:

I want to talk about our one-generation solution. While early years services and extra support for children are very important, we also believe there is a third intervention that is needed and we call this the one-generation solution. We know that if we educate a mother, we empower her whole family to value and appreciate the benefits of education. We know that if we can raise a woman up through education, her family can escape poverty forever in just one generation.

I will not provide the committee with the names but I will offer real cases of how young mothers have used education to transform their own lives and that of their children. A mother and two children were living in a hotel in Tallaght. The mother was very depressed because of her housing and financial situation and she was parenting alone. She had one child attending school and came to An Cosan with the other child. We provided a place in our early years services but we also looked at how we could work with that mother. She had no leaving certificate or other formal qualification but she has now completed a degree in addiction studies and is in full-time employment in a caring profession. She and her two children are living in a two-bedroom apartment. Everyone’s story is different but what is most striking is the confidence that personal development and education brings to a young mother both as a woman and as a parent.

There was a question on how policy could be improved to support our work. Recruiting and retaining early years specialists is a major challenge for our providers. Scheme capitation rates need to reflect salary levels that are appropriate for professionals with qualifications, and terms and conditions that allow for paid holidays and occupational pensions. Stable workforces are achieved through good conditions and professional development opportunities, and the cost involved must be recognised if quality is to be continually improved. For example, our Lifestart home visiting service supports parents who are under pressure and encourages them to play with and read to their children, developing attachment between mothers and babies. Attachment and bonding can be a problem when mothers are under huge stress and research has shown the impact this can have on the child's future. This service is entirely funded by private donations. It needs to form part of core funding from the State for services such as ours which prioritise vulnerable families. Assessments and early intervention is essential for children but the HSE services, already under serious pressure, have been greatly affected by Covid.