Debate contribution: Childcare Providers: Funding

Debate contribution by Ms Cara Hunter on 21 January 2025.

MLA

Ms Cara Hunter

Party at the time

Social Democratic and Labour Party

Date

21 January 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Childcare Providers: Funding

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4749627

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Thank you very much, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I welcome the opportunity to make a winding-up speech on the amendment in this important debate. Our amendment calls for a political commitment from both the Minister for the Economy and the Minister of Education to drive forward affordable childcare. I welcomed the launch, in October, of the SDLP's policy document, 'A Childcare Guarantee', which was led by our SDLP economy spokesperson, Sinéad McLaughlin. That aims to support parents, the sector and Employers For Childcare and is, ultimately, focused on getting the best outcomes for our children in Northern Ireland. Nothing is more important than seeking affordability for parents here who are burdened every day with overwhelming costs. It is crucial that we seek sustainability for providers through a new funding scheme to ensure that providers are sustainable and that workers are paid properly. In my constituency, I have seen that Employers For Childcare does not want to burden parents with additional costs, but overhead costs, such as for electricity and heating, are rising every day due to inflation. It is a really difficult situation, and the sector is really struggling. Ultimately, the key focus should be on our young people and on ensuring that they have the best possible start in life. That should be done through a new, expert-led independent body to oversee childcare and early education policy. After listening to the debate, I echo many of the statements that Melted Parents NI has made about childcare costs in Northern Ireland. Many motions on childcare have been tabled in the House, but, sadly, parents are still in crisis. Many feel that the NICSS savings have been made redundant by the rise in provider costs. Only eligible parents of preschool-aged children are being helped, and many feel that this is not the time for silo working or party politics.

I have spoken to countless parents in my constituency who are absolutely devastated by the fact that they are forced to leave work and to walk away from years of building a career, building skills and getting degrees. They have had to walk away from a job that they love and that provides them with an income and have had to do so, undeniably, because of the rising costs of childcare. They do not find it valuable to go to work any more, and that is grossly unfair. Despite the promises and priorities of the Executive, the childcare crisis worsens.

I move to Members' comments. Diane Forsythe raised an important point about access to childcare courses and the challenges of accessing a GP and with sign-off. She was absolutely right to mention the potential for 30 new childcare workers, because we need as many people as possible in the sector, and that is definitely an issue. Cathy Mason mentioned the need for urgency, the need to work at pace. That is undeniable. We need to serve our communities and parents when it comes to rising childcare costs. Diana Armstrong reiterated that there is no need for party political points on the issue: I fundamentally agree. She also said that it is an issue across Northern Ireland, so we need the answer — the solution — to come from across our Executive. Parents cannot cope with the stress of rising childcare bills married with rising electricity bills, gas bills, rent and mortgages: they are undeniably in crisis. Importantly, Kate Nicholl spoke about the need for an update on the task force: I, too, would like to hear more about that. It is important to raise and reiterate the fact that progress has been made, as Peter Martin said. That is welcome, but my party and I feel strongly that it is not enough. Language was used that suggested that the Education Minister's work on childcare has been transformational. That is an opinion, but one that I would argue is not shared by the many parents across the North who still struggle every day and are walking away from their careers. We want to see our people in Northern Ireland being excited to have children, but, if you speak to people who do not have kids and are considering having them about the rising cost of childcare and of bills, it is apparent that we, as an Executive and a Government, really need to step in. We want to see leadership and collective action on the issue.

733 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:47 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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