Debate contribution: Childcare Strategy

Debate contribution by Ms Sinéad McLaughlin on 3 November 2025.

MLA

Ms Sinéad McLaughlin

Party at the time

Social Democratic and Labour Party

Date

3 November 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Childcare Strategy

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5213747

Read the official Assembly record

Text

People across Northern Ireland rightly expect this place to deliver on the issues that matter most in their lives. For so many families, the issue that keeps them awake at night is childcare. It is an enormous expense that stretches family budgets to the limit, often swallowing up one parent's entire wage every month. They are waiting and waiting for a childcare strategy. It is incredible that we still have not got one. We were expecting it in the autumn, and, given that tonight I feel pretty cold in here, winter has arrived. Time and again, the Chamber has heard stories of parents who are unable to make ends meet as a result of those costs and tales of families who are frustrated and angry at the inaction from government to successfully deal with their spiralling bills. Therefore, it is right that the motion states that families continue to struggle with childcare costs. As I said, that is an understatement. While the motion boasts about £80 million being invested to reduce costs, the reality tells a very different story. Barely a day goes past when I am not told about the costs that are crushing family finances. We know from official figures that costs have risen by 24% in less than two years. When the Executive introduced the subsidy scheme in September 2024, the average daily rate for day-care settings stood at £54·51: by March 2025, it had risen to £61·43. Many pay much more than that. I can vouch for that, because my daughter is paying a higher daily rate for childcare. Nearly half — 43% — of the subsidy introduced by the Executive scheme has been absorbed by fee increases, and families now pay significantly more than they did when this place was restored. Things are going backwards instead of forwards. Reducing childcare costs is one of the key priorities for the Government, but the Executive have not made a dent in that so far, and there is little sign of the situation improving. Parents are still paying the price of that failure. For far too many of those parents, particularly women, it simply does not make sense to work, and that puts a handbrake on our economy. That is why we urgently need a strategy. Parents have waited decades for one, and they cannot afford to wait any longer. While the motion appears to back up our position that we should not pull the wool over anyone's eyes, the party that proposed the motion runs the Government and controls the purse strings. Unfortunately, the amendment that we tabled was not selected, but it would have also called on the Finance Minister to commit to funding the strategy, once we get one. We know that a plan on paper means nothing if the money is not there to back it up. I urge the Finance Minister to make that commitment. Of course, that will require a significant financial investment, but it will be more than offset by the benefits to our economy and by the investment in the lives of our children. The amendment that was selected is right to call attention to the other needs that the strategy will need to address. Our proposals have supported child-centred and inclusive childcare that invests in additional and targeted support for children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with disabilities. Research has found that fewer than one in five areas in England have enough childcare facilities for children with disabilities. I have severe concerns that, if we follow the 30-hour English model, it will not work in practice for all children, and I challenge the Minister to address, in his response, the particular needs of those children. We also have to recognise the cross-government nature of the challenges, particularly the work on ratios in the Department of Health. On that, we have to say loudly and clearly that registered childminders cannot be left out of the picture. Between 2020 and 2022, there was an 11% reduction in the number of registered childminders across Northern Ireland, and 59% of respondents to a Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) survey said that they had real concerns about their future. The challenges facing registered childminders —

— are a real and pressing danger to the childcare sector.

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

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 13:47 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

Disagree with this assessment?

Classifications can be challenged. A person reads every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.

Challenge this classification