Speaking after Executive approval of the support measures, the Minister said: “Today, the Executive agreed an additional £55m investment in early learning and childcare in 2025-26. On becoming Education Minister, I pledged to help working parents with the cost of childcare and I am very pleased to announce that the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme will be extended to include school age children from 1 September 2025.
“Last year, my priority was to develop a subsidy scheme that would reduce childcare costs for the parents of very young children, who often experience the greatest costs. So far, the Childcare Subsidy Scheme has saved Northern Ireland parents approximately £8m which they would have had to pay in childcare fees.
“I now want to build on this and support a much greater number of parents with the costs of childcare. Since the Scheme launched in September 2024, there have been repeated calls to extend it to school age children. Today’s funding boost will allow us to do this and provide support for a much larger group of working parents. 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.
“This means that 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.”
Turning to other initiatives, the Minister continued: “Today’s investment will enable the significant progress that has been made over the past year to be sustained, with further growth in key areas. I am now able to expand vital early years services such as Sure Start, the Pathway Fund, Toybox and the Bookstart Baby Programme.
“Over the next year I will also continue the expansion of pre-school education towards the goal of providing 22.5 hours per week for all children in their immediate pre-school year. At least an additional 100 settings providing the next cohort of 2,000 children with a full-time place will be available by September 2026.
"Combined, the package of support reflects my ongoing commitment to prioritise early years, given the impact this can have on children’s future outcomes, particularly those from more disadvantaged backgrounds or with additional needs.”
The measures to be implemented in 2025-26 represent the next step in delivering the Programme for Government commitment to provide “More Affordable, Accessible, High-Quality Early Learning and Childcare”.
Reconfirming his intention to bring forward a comprehensive Early Learning and Childcare Strategy by autumn 2025 which will set out an ambitious plan for the longer-term, Paul Givan concluded: “There is much that could be done, but there is a limit to what can be achieved this year with the funding available. Over the past year, we have made real progress across a number of areas and the measures I am announcing today will maintain that momentum. I look forward to publishing an Early Learning and Childcare Strategy later this year.”