Over £6.6m allocated to Early Years providers through Pathway Fund

Date published: 20 June 2025

The Pathway Fund provides financial contribution towards provision and resources which promote social, physical, intellectual, communication and educational development of children at risk of educational underachievement.

Paul Givan said: 

“This year I have been able to deliver the highest ever level of funding allocated through the Pathway Fund. This will help support high quality provision and increased opportunities for our youngest learners to develop and thrive.

These increased allocations have been facilitated by securing a further £2.837m for Pathway Fund from the Executive to support Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) measures in 2025-26.  

This has enabled all 876 eligible applicants to receive an award for 2025-26. This year, I have increased the maximum amount of funding available to Early Years settings by £10,000 to £40,000, in recognition of the increased running costs for providers. This year, 217 settings have received an award – an increase from 175 last year. 

I have also introduced a new funding stream for Approved Home Childcarers and childminders. This has allowed 659 eligible applicants from this group to receive awards of up to £500.”

The Minister visited one of the recipients of the Pathway Funding, Bloomfield Playgroup this week to see first-hand how the fund is helping to support early learning. 

Paul Givan said: 

“It was fantastic to see how the fund contributes to enriched play and learning opportunities and to hear from the staff about how this helps the children to develop and thrive. I am also encouraged to see the obvious dedication of staff to nurturing the children they care for.”