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Assembly Update

Published on: 28/05/2009

On 21st April the Assembly debated the following motion put down by Dr McDonnell (SDLP) "That this Assembly recognises the threat to future prosperity and well-being posed by educational underachievement in many communities; and calls on the Executive, and the Minister of Education in particular, to produce a cross-cutting departmental action programme designed to tackle educational underachievement."

There then followed considerable debate on this topic, and Early Years was pleased to see that much of our lobbying work around the importance of early economic investment cited in the debates. Several calls were made to the Minister for Education and her department for the immediate publication of the 0-6 strategy on early years and a specific call was made by Dominic Bradley on the roll-out of a Transformation fund. A summary of what was said is presented below.


Tom Elliot - Ulster Unionist Party:

  • Childcare is not simply about a place for parents to leave their children.
  • Early years are a vital and essential time for the development of children.
  • Quality of childcare is absolutely vital.
  • We want action.
  • Affordable, quality childcare.
  • Need to think about local government provision or supporting non-profits to step into the breach.
  • Professor James Heckman comprehensively highlighted that the life chances of individuals and the success of our overall strategy and economy in the long term is reliant on correct and consistent educational support being made available.

Dominic Bradley - SDLP:

  • Childcare is about much more than child-minding.
  • Those involved in childcare should have the best qualifications available.
  • A transformation fund is an appropriate way to enhance the expertise of those Involved in the childcare workforce.

Roy Beggs - Ulster Unionist Party:

  • Member of Horizon Sure Start in Carrickfergus and Larne.
  • Is time to actually deliver something.
  • Important it is to invest in the young - Heckman's research demonstrates this.
  • Office of the First and deputy First Minister must invent something [funding] that works.

Martina Anderson - Sinn Fein:

  • For women the lack of suitable, flexible and affordable childcare is one of the most significant barriers to their participation in the labour market.
  • Minister of Education, along with OFMDFM, will be represented at the World Forum on Early Care and Education, which will be held in Belfast this year.
  • Welcome the fact that childcare provision has been made a priority by the ministerial subcommittee on children and young people.

Michelle McIlveen - DUP:

  • Lack of investment in early years.
  • Excellent facilities, but funding is limited.
  • Early years learning will improve a child's learning skills.
  • Problems can only be tackled pre-secondary school and by creating a good. foundation for learning pre-primary school.
  • Need greater parental involvement and greater emphasis on early intervention and on numeracy and literacy.

Basil McCrea - Ulster Unionist Party:

  • Urge the Minister of Education to come up with an early years programme quickly, so that we might do whatever we can to alleviate the problems that exist.
  • Educational underachievement is to do with the trouble that people face in their early years.

Minister for Education, Catriona Ruane - Sinn Fein:

  • Preschool education and primary education are fundamentally important.
  • Learning starts long before formal education begins: it starts in the womb.
  • The first three years of life are critical, and proper care, nutrition and stimulation are essential for successful learning in the future.
  • From the age of three, children become more aware of their place in the community.
  • They need to develop social skills, as well as early literacy and numeracy skills.
  • Department of Education is developing an early-years strategy.

Resolved:

That this Assembly expresses its concern at the lack of availability of affordable, quality childcare; and the lack of provision for people who require flexible arrangements to allow them to avail of working opportunities in the evenings, overnight and at weekends, particularly in the current economic climate; and calls on the Executive to implement a coherent and properly resourced childcare strategy arrangements to allow them to avail of working opportunities in the evenings, overnight and at weekends, particularly in the current economic climate; and calls on the Executive to implement a coherent and properly resourced childcare strategy.

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