Emergency childcare scheme announced

Proposals for a new emergency childcare scheme for key workers was announced at Stormont yesterday.
By Niall Deeney
Published 9th Apr 2020, 16:45 BST
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th January 2020 Health Minister Robin Swann speaks to the media in the Great Hall at Parliament Buildings in Stormont, east Belfast, regarding the announcements by Unison and RCN to suspend industrial action. Nurses had been striking over the last number of months for equal pay to the rest of the UK and safe working conditions. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEyePress Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th January 2020 Health Minister Robin Swann speaks to the media in the Great Hall at Parliament Buildings in Stormont, east Belfast, regarding the announcements by Unison and RCN to suspend industrial action. Nurses had been striking over the last number of months for equal pay to the rest of the UK and safe working conditions. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th January 2020 Health Minister Robin Swann speaks to the media in the Great Hall at Parliament Buildings in Stormont, east Belfast, regarding the announcements by Unison and RCN to suspend industrial action. Nurses had been striking over the last number of months for equal pay to the rest of the UK and safe working conditions. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye

The proposals were announced jointly by the Education Minister Peter Weir and the Health Minister Robin Swann, and are aimed at ensuring vulnerable children and the children of key workers are looked after.

The new measures include a ‘bespoke approved home childcarer scheme’ whereby childcare workers from daycares and schools will be ‘matched’ to families to provide care in the home.

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Parents will continue to pay their usual daycare fees and the government will pick up the extra cost of sending the childcare workers directly to the family’s home.

Other measures include extra support for childminders and extra support to allow childcare settings to stay open for the children of key workers and vulnerable children.

Education Minister Peter Weir said: “These new measures will sit alongside the support being provided by educational settings for children of key workers and vulnerable children.”

Health Minister Robin Swann said: ““My Department, in collaboration with the Department of Education, has been working to develop proposals which will meet the needs of our key workers. This includes support for parents, childminders and daycare settings.

“Now, more than ever we must support our health and social care staff and other key workers.”

Related topics:ProposalsRobin SwannPeter WeirParentsDepartment of Education