Member's statement: Early Learning and Childcare Strategy

Member's statement by Mrs Michelle Guy on 23 February 2026.

MLA

Mrs Michelle Guy

Party at the time

Alliance Party

Date

23 February 2026

Type

Member's statement

Business

Members' Statements

Heading

Early Learning and Childcare Strategy

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5399652

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I highlight the increasing pressure on families as childcare costs continue to rise and question whether the draft early learning and childcare strategy is truly up to the challenge. Many families are being hammered by increasing fees. While we welcomed the NI childcare subsidy scheme as an emergency intervention, we were clear that it could not be the end point. It needed to be the foundation for long-term transformational reform. However, the draft strategy largely offers more of the same. Yes, there was consideration of capping fees, but that was dismissed as having caused problems in other countries. However, having spoken to those implementing fee caps in the South of Ireland, I challenge that assertion. The headline affordability proposal is to increase the subsidy to 20% in 2026, 30% by 2030 and 40% by 2032. On paper, that sounds ambitious, and I welcome ambition, but in practice there are concerns. There are no protections if fees rise sharply; there is no clear definition of affordable childcare; there are no conditions around quality improvement or workforce development attached to receiving public subsidy; and projected savings for families are calculated using today's prices, ignoring the reality that costs will continue to rise. We must be careful not to pit providers against parents. Providers, including childminders and community day cares, are not the enemy here. They face rising costs in wages, energy, insurance and regulation. They are trying to retain skilled, experienced and highly qualified staff in an already fragile workforce. The tension between rising operating costs and rising parental fees is real, but it is not for parents and providers to resolve that: it is for the Department to step in and provide a coherent, properly funded framework that balances sustainability, quality and affordability. In the current draft strategy, there are no concrete targets to expand provision, particularly in the community and voluntary sector. There is a commitment to map provision — frankly, that should already be complete. While £169 million is cited to raise the subsidy to 30% by 2030, the draft Budget allocates only a fraction of what would be required to deliver that ambition. Childcare is essential infrastructure. It enables parents to work, train and study. It underpins economic growth and shapes children's early development. If we are serious about reform, the strategy must go further, with clear definitions, real protections, proper workforce planning and sustainable funding proposals. Families and providers deserve nothing less.

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

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:57 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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