How it all started

Until not very long ago Maltese women were expected to give up their jobs and their careers when they got married. Those few who continued in their employment were definitely expected to quit their jobs and dedicate their time exclusively to the family when the first child was born. Grandparents and next of kin gave an occasional helping hand with household chores and child minding. These societal norms were reflected in the very few maternity benefits available prior to the 1990s. There were hardly any child minding facilities on the island for children under three, no training for childcare workers and no guidelines whatsoever for the few facilities in operation.

Families in Malta are closely knit, and family traditions are still quite strong when compared to the rest of Europe, however trends are changing and for various reasons (financial, educational, job satisfaction, career progression etc) some women are taking the challenge of working alongside their maternal duties, often juggling reduced hours, childcare and household chores. Some grandmothers have also returned to the workforce after they have raised their own families and consequently can offer less support to the new families within their kindred system. Our society has also seen an increase in single parenthood, and single parents are most often less supported (financially and otherwise). Single mothers are often faced with a choice of state aid versus supporting themselves and their child by continuing to work.

These changes in family structure and function brought about a stronger demand on childcare requirements, and around the year 2000 childcare facilities started mushrooming all over the island. Lack of regulation and guidelines, together with lack of parental awareness on these requirements, left children potentially exposed to vulnerable situations. Young children used to be left in the hands of untrained people and in unsuitable environments. Childcare ratios were often unrealistically high, and most centres offered child minding facilities as opposed to childcare settings, where child development programmes ensure that children are being exposed to stimuli that enhance their holistic learning potential.

Developments in

childcare facilities

In 2002 a technical committee on childcare was set up. This committee which operated between 2002-2004 was given the brief to study the national situation with respect to day services for children and propose national standards that would encourage, promote and ensure the provision of high quality, educational, child day care services. This committee was also expected to research the area of childcare, early years and childcare provision. It was also the role of this committee to research and propose solutions to bridge the gap between what was provided and the desired upgraded product. The committee was expected to consult with the local partners (families, service providers, among others) and to advice the government on policy measures (benefits, childcare grants, and so on).

One outcome of this committee was the consultation document on childcare.This document highlighted the way forward through the introduction of principles, standards and regulations; differentiated between home-based and centre- based provision; outlined the need for licenses and suggested measures to elicit co-operation from service providers. The document drew attention to the need for

• Adequate physical environment where care is provided;

• Suitability of staff, staff qualifications and staff/child ratios;

• Procedure manuals in daycare centres;

• Structured program of activities that promote learning through play and care;

• Partnership between parents and childcare facilities.

In spite of some expected initial reactions and resistance stepping-stones were set and changes started to take place to ameliorate the childcare situation.

Some achievements (most of which emerged from the consultation process) deserve to be mentioned as milestone achievements in the childcare sector. These include:

• Appogg Daycare and Family Support Centre, ‘Smartkids’ ( 2001)

• Training Courses for carers in early years (2003 )

• Setting up of an assessment unit in childcare (2004)

• MEPA guidelines on planning of childcare facilities (2005)

• National Policy on Early Childhood and Care (2006)

• Grants for upgrading of childcare facilities (July 2006)

• Tax rebate for childcare provision (2006)

• Provisional registration for childcare facilities (March 2007)

• National Information Campaign on the provision of standards in childcare facilities (2007)

• Replication of “Smartkids” project in north/centre of island (2007/2008)

Smartkids Daycare and Family Support Centre

Appogg commenced its childcare services in Cottonera with the Smartkids Daycare and Family Support Centre in Birgu, five years ago. The service was originally offered to the families of Cottonera and Kalkara only. Since then the service has obtained an excellent reputation and another centre which has opened recently in Birkirkara is already in operation. Another centre is envisaged to open shortly in the north of the island.

Appogg Smartkids Daycare and Family Support Centre responds to the need for supporting parents in their role; especially with families becoming more 'nuclear’ in nature, more women joining the workforce and with an added awareness about the need of parenting skills, together with knowledge that quality childcare is beneficial for children. The centre provides quality childcare to children between the ages of 1.5 years to three years (and up to five years in certain circumstances).

• The centre caters for all types of children and families but priority is given to:

• Children who due to specific family circumstances, would benefit from spending periods of time away from home.

• Children whose parents require respite.

• Children of single parents, especially if these parents opt to join in family workshops, opt to take up some form of academic development; or opt to work to improve the financial situation.

• Children experiencing delays in aspects of their development (e.g speech delays etc), who need some more time and more personalized attention before being amalgamated into mainstream kindergarten.

• Children whose parents are attending family workshops offered by the centre. (These workshops are aimed at enhancing personality development).

• Children of working families

The childcare development programs offered by Appogg, which focus on creative, cognitive, socio-emotional, physical development, communication and language development skills, pre-mathematical thinking skills and knowledge and understanding of the world run simultaneously with parenting support programs. Children are assigned to a trained child carer on a keyworker basis. The child/keyworker ratio which never exceeds the EU stipulated 1:6 ratio enables the assigned keyworker to evaluate the child on a continuous basis and to report to the centre co-coordinator regularly on the progress of the child entrusted in her care. Daily programs of activities ensure that children’s development milestones are exposed to the best possible stimuli. Parents are kept continuously abreast of their child’s progress within the centre. Parents are also given the opportunity to consult at any time on any particular behavioural management/parenting skills difficulties that they might be encountering.

Some personal reflections

In over seven years of experience at the Smartkids Daycare and Family Support Centre of Agenzija APPOGG, together with my background in psychology and family therapy, I developed a strong belief that childcare and family support cannot be separated. Children develop within a family context and families are composed of a parent/s and children are in turn the pillars of society. The early years are formative years and if we consider what is happening in the first few years of life and how that impacts the later stages of development we can more readily justify the expenses in excellent childcare provision.

Professor Melhuish, a Birbeck scholar and one of the main researchers of Surestart project in the UK, outlines the discrepancy between brain development and government funding in the UK in terms of education, health, social services etc. This situation more or less reflects the situation in other European countries, including Malta. We find that normally there are more investments in primary and secondary education than in education for those in the 0-3 age bracket when brain malleability is in its milieu. Very crudely, this means that we might be investing too late in education and that earlier intervention could influence and impact later spending on health, social services and crime. Other research findings support this view: Quality childcare and family support have a strong preventive function; Quality childcare and family support are positively correlated with readiness to learn in later years (such as the Headstart, Surestart projects); Quality childcare and family support have been associated with socio-economic development of poor families (Abedcedarian project Rolnick & Grunweald, 2003), Quality childcare and family support leave a positive effect on a community level (High/Scope Study)

Locally, we are currently at an exciting time where we are constructing a new service for Maltese families. Although most would agree that we still need to work hard in all aspects related to childcare (provision, training, assessment, child-care management, parental awareness, etc), I cannot but reflect that so much has been done within a relatively short span of time. So much has been done and so much still needs to be done. First and foremost, the consolidation of the structures that have been outlined and identified should be the main priority and the way forward. It would also be wise to learn from research findings and experiences of other countries. One experience worth latching on to is the Emiglia Romagnia experience, where professionals had to learn to work together so that the service could flourish and achieve levels of best practice nation-wide and global-wise. There is room for many partners and different professions in the early years sector. The input of speech therapists, child psychologists, educators, trainers, family therapists, pediatricians,child carers, child care managers and a host of other professions would ensure that an excellent standard of achievement is reached and maintained.

Silvia Galea is Service Area Leader, Appogg Smartkids Daycare and Family Support Centre

For further details on APPOGG and its services one could call Agenzija APPOGG Supportline 179 or visit www.appogg.gov.mt. Agenzija APPOGG forms part of the Foundation for Social Welfare Services, which also incorporates Agenzija Sedqa (www.sedqa.gov.mt) and Agenzija SAPPORT (www.sapport.gov.mt).