Childcare for the Canal Communities: A Feasibility Study on Behalf of the Canal Communities Partnership
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Author
Morris, Margaret
Date
1997
Citation
Morris, M. (1997). Childcare for the Canal Communities: A Feasibility Study on Behalf of the Canal Communities Partnership. https://knowledge.barnardos.ie/handle/20.500.13085/945
Abstract
The Canal Communities Partnership covers Bluebell, Inchicore North and South, Islandbridge, Kilmainham, and Rialto. According to the 1991 Census, the area had a population of 13,079 and, with the exception of part of Inchicore, all areas scored the highest level of disadvantage. Key deprivation indicators include lone parent families making up 40% of all family units—over twice the national average—with 42.9% of these parents having children under 15, nearly four times the national average. Unemployment stood at 29.4%, with both male and female rates almost double the national average, and nearly three-quarters of the unemployed were long-term or had never worked. Educational attainment was low, with 53% leaving school by age 15 and only 4% continuing past 19. The Partnership area comprises distinct communities with separate identities and limited prior interaction. The study focuses on childcare provision for the most disadvantaged, especially those in local authority flats, and recommends addressing needs through four local Networks reflecting the area’s diversity.