A new parents’ organisation warns that Northern Ireland’s daycare gap is growing.
Northern Ireland has half the three- and four-year-old provisions of the UK.
Meanwhile, parents in this country are entitled to 12.5 hours per week of funded preschool education during the school year.
This compares to 30 hours for the remainder of the United Kingdom.
Melted Parents NI, a six-week-old childcare reform lobbying organisation, has over 5,000 members.
Paula O’Neill, one of the group’s creators, told Evening Extra that the name was inspired by the Northern Ireland childcare situation “melting the heads” of parents.
Before the devolved government was suspended last year, it was working on a childcare strategy. However, due to the absence of a power-sharing executive at Stormont, the strategy has been deferred.
She stated, “We cannot continue as we are in Northern Ireland.”
She added, “We have had parents tell us that they want their child to attend preschool, but they cannot afford it.
We pay identical taxes.
The spring budget expanded the 30 hours of free childcare for working parents in England to include one- and two-year-olds.
Ms. O’Neill said this announcement showed that Northern Ireland is growing further apart from the UK.
“We pay the same taxes here as people in England do, there is a crisis here, we can’t go on like this, and if we as parents don’t band together to demand action from our government, who will?
She described the situation as “untenable”
After England’s childcare spending is determined, the Barnett formula distributes funds to the devolved nations.
However, the Northern Ireland Office has said that any in-year Barnett consequential for Northern Ireland – that is funding that arrives automatically as a result of higher spending decisions in England – will be used to repay overspending by Stormont.
We know we get money for childcare through the Barnett consequential to get equivalent services but we don’t have the equivalent services to the UK,” said Ms O’Neill.
She added, “Sometimes it’s viewed as a motherhood issue, but we believe it’s a problem for the entire economy, as it affects our health services and social mobility.
“As a certified public accountant, I frequently hear that businesses cannot find qualified employees.
“There is a skills gap in Northern Ireland, so on the one hand we have enterprises that can’t find employees and on the other hand, we have parents who cannot afford to work.
She added, “Childcare is an economic infrastructure. We would like to see the government provide parents in Northern Ireland with immediate relief.”
“We’re on the defensive”
Shauna Collinson has a full-time job and a 13-month-old child, while her husband is self-employed.
They had difficulty locating accessible, available child care so they could continue working.
She told Evening Extra, “We had to be placed on a waiting list for a crèche, and I had to extend my maternity leave, which meant using my savings, which puts you at a disadvantage when it comes to paying for childcare.”
Ms. Collinson said the monthly creche cost $1,300, which was significant given Northern Ireland’s average income of $1,900.
In the end, because their daughter did not adjust to the crèche, they hired a babysitter.
She added, “She is brilliant and my daughter is in the best place for her. But she cannot work the hours we require.”
Shauna and her husband bridge the gap with family and depart.
