NI childcare strategy could cut costs for families by over 50% | UK News

The Northern Ireland Executive plans to subsidise over half of all childcare costs for working families by April 2032.

But it will cost around £500m for Stormont to deliver an “ambitious but realistic” childcare strategy for Northern Ireland.

That is according to Education Minister Paul Givan.

The executive has published a draft early learning and childcare strategy.

According to the strategy, the average cost of full-time childcare is £57 per day, per child, or just under £15,000 per year before any deductions or subsidies.

The strategy includes plans to provide a year of full-time pre-school for every child in the long-term and to subsidise 50% of all childcare costs for working families by April 2032.

In the longer term, young children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) will also be offered childcare and after-school provision in special schools.

In the short term, special schools will be given money to buy new equipment for younger pupils.

The strategy also highlighted the need for better pay and training for staff working in childcare.

The strategy said that the childcare workers can feel “undervalued, under-paid, and under-supported despite the complexity and importance of their role”.

“We know that the sector faces significant challenges in recruitment, retention, recognition, and progression,” it said.

Givan said that 23,000 children had been registered with the childcare subsidy scheme so far, which had saved families almost £18m.

But the subsidy is currently capped at £184 a month, although parents can combine it with the UK-wide tax free childcare scheme.

The executive’s programme for government had made affordable and accessible childcare a priority.

But in the foreword to the draft childcare strategy, Givan said he had been “ambitious but realistic”.

“The extent to which we can do all of these and at what pace, will depend on the level of resources available to the executive over the coming years and the many competing priorities,” he said.

The draft childcare strategy includes a range of short and long term actions.

A public consultation has now been launched on the strategy and the proposals to reform early learning and childcare.

It will run for 14 weeks, until 24 March 2026.