APG on Early Education and Childcare - 22/05/25
The All Party Group on Early Education and Childcare met on Thursday 22 May 2025 via Teams. The meeting was chaired by Peter Martin MLA. The Chair gave a summary of developments including recent announcements of a £55 million package of measures for early learning and childcare which included the extension of the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme to cover school-age children. It is estimated the number of children who could benefit from the discount will now increase by 60%, from the current 15,000, to approximately 24,000.
The working parents of school age children will now receive the 15% subsidy, up to the capped amount, on their childcare bills. When this is combined with Tax Free Childcare it will provide a reduction of up to 32% on childcare bills. The Education Minister also committed to expand vital early years services such as Sure Start, the Pathway Fund, Toybox and the Bookstart Baby Programme and reconfirmed his intention to bring forward a comprehensive Early Learning and Childcare Strategy by autumn 2025.
The Chair described the news as another crucial step to providing high quality and sustainable early learning and childcare across Northern Ireland and said he looked forward to the publication of the Early Learning and Childcare Strategy later this year.
Francis Loye, Co-Director of Giggles Early Years and Chair of the Daycare Forum, provided a detailed presentation on Special Needs in early learning and childcare. Diarmuid Moore, Senior Community Development Specialist at Early Years then updated on a recent 'Review of Governance in the Community and Voluntary Early Years Sector in Northern Ireland’ which highlights the particular contribution of community and voluntary early years settings to rural communities and areas of deprivation. This was followed by questions and discussion.
The next All Party Group meeting is scheduled to be an in-person event on Thursday 25th September.