Executive Early Learning and Childcare Strategy
Education Minister announces a £55 million package of measures for early learning and childcare that will include an extension of the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme to cover school-age children.
Education Minister announces £55 million package of measures for early learning and childcare that will include an extension of the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme to cover school-age children
Written Ministerial Statement – Early Learning and Childcare Measures 2025/26
A Written Ministerial Statement by the Minister of Education, Paul Givan, setting out a package of measures, agreed by the Executive, for early learning and childcare in the 2025/26 financial year.
Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme
Parents - you can now register for the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme. Click the link below for further information and to apply.
NICSS — Early Years - the organisation for young children (early-years.org)
Frequently Asked Questions
Following the Minister of Education’s recent announcement of a £25m package of measures for Early Learning and Childcare 2024/25, a link to Frequently Asked Questions is available here.
Education Committee Update
Update provided to the Education Committee on the progress made in implementing the Early Learning and Childcare measures for 2024/25 is available to view here.
Education Minister announces £25million package of measures for early learning and childcare in Northern Ireland
Education Minister Paul Givan has today announced a £25million package of measures to support children, parents and providers with early learning and childcare in 2024/25.
Written Ministerial Statement - Early Learning and Childcare Measures 2024/25
A Written Ministerial Statement by the Minister of Education, Paul Givan, setting out a package of measures, agreed by the Executive, for early learning and childcare in the 2024/25 financial year.
Urgent WMS Early Learning and Childcare measures 2024 25.pdf (education-ni.gov.uk)
Executive Early Learning and Childcare Strategy
The Minister for Education made a Written Ministerial Statement on 7 September 2022 regarding the intention to standardise the Pre-school Education Programme to full-time (22.5 hours) for all children aged 3-4 and to set out the direction of travel for a new Early Learning and Childcare Strategy.
Update on Executive Childcare Strategy
The Minister announced:
- The establishment of a new Stakeholder Engagement Forum
- An independent 'Review of Childcare Services in Northern Ireland'
- A review on early years targeted interventions
- A scoping study on the state of readiness of the pre-school sector to deliver the proposed standardisation.
The full statement is available to view here:
School Age Childcare Grant Scheme
The Bright Start School Age Childcare Grant Scheme was launched on the 27 March 2014 and aims to create or sustain school age childcare provision - breakfast clubs, after school clubs and summer schemes aimed at the 4-14 age group. There have been three calls for applications to the Grant Scheme, which has sustained and created approximately 2,500 school age childcare places in areas of disadvantage, on the schools estate and in rural areas.
The Department of Health is the Managing Agent for the Grant Scheme.
You can access the interim evaluation via the link below:
Bright Start School Age Childcare (SAC) Grant Scheme - Interim Evaluation
Related publications
Published Research
- RSM (2023) DE Review of Childcare Services in NI - Final Report
- Childcare - Strategic Insight Programme
- NISRA Survey
- Childcare Subsidy Scheme
Contact us
For further information please contact the Childcare Strategy Team