DUP education minister removes priority for benefits claimants in getting their child into nursery
Stormont’s education minister has effectively ended preferential access to nurseries for parents claiming benefits – arguing that the way the system has been operating was discriminating against working families.
Paul Givan says the legislation is “outdated, unnecessary and unfair” – and decreases working families’ chances of securing full-time childcare places.
The DUP minister says children of working class families, particularly low-paid families, are disadvantaged by the current legislation.
He has launched a consultation on the matter – but has faced opposition to the changes from Sinn Fein who have accused him of “pitting children against children”.
Danny Baker MLA claimed that the most vulnerable children in society “are made vulnerable by decisions like this”.
However, Mr Givan hit back – citing correspondence from a Sinn Fein West Belfast MLA Órlaithí Flynn, complaining that the existing approach may be “unfairly disadvantaging local children”.
The changes have also been opposed by Alliance and SDLP representatives in the Assembly.
In recent years, the benefits referenced in the socially disadvantaged criteria legislation have been almost entirely phased out, due to changes surrounding Universal Credit.
However, the Education Authority has been “reading in” new welfare payments – a situation Minister Givan says is no longer “legally permissible”.
“Universal credit is a significantly wider welfare payment than those that are named in the legislation. In 2019-2020, around 15% of children's preschool applications indicated that they met the SDC criterion. This year, that figure was more than double at almost 36%.
“That significantly changes the priority criteria to the point that it is no longer possible to properly target those for whom they were originally intended. The current approach is not legally sustainable and must now be changed”, the minister told the Assembly on Monday.
“Therefore, today, I am writing to the Education Authority and all preschool providers to make clear that, pending any amendment to the regulations, for the admissions process for the academic year beginning in September 2027, the only SDC criteria that must be applied relate to those who are in receipt of the benefits that are specifically named in the legislation: income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance.
“As those benefits have almost completely been phased out or superseded, I expect that that will apply to a negligible number of applications next year. This approach will essentially place preschools on an equal footing with primary and post-primary schools, empowering them to select admissions criteria that best reflect their individual settings and the communities that they serve.
“This is not a mere tinkering with admissions criteria; it is a fundamental change of approach”, Mr Givan said.
West Belfast MLA Danny Baker responded to the plans by saying: “Once again, we have the Education Minister playing politics with children. You are pitting children against children, and the most vulnerable in our society are made vulnerable by decisions such as this.
“It was a very depressing statement, and not once did you mention children with additional needs. Is it fair to say, Minister, that you are removing the rights of the most disadvantaged children in our society”.
Minister Givan responded: “Interestingly, the Member raises a concern. He is from West Belfast. His colleague Órlaithí Flynn raised a concern with me earlier this year.
“Let me quote from a letter that was sent by Mr Baker's colleague, the Sinn Féin Member for West Belfast. In that letter, she says: ‘There is growing concern that the current approach may be unfairly disadvantaging local children’.
“That was in respect of the social disadvantage criterion — that it was unfairly disadvantaging her constituents in West Belfast.
“Perhaps the Member should have a word with his colleague, who was asking me to do exactly what I have now announced.
“The Member seems to be concerned about my taking decisions and getting on with deliveringfor my constituents. I note that not one other Minister in the Assembly today is bringing forward decisions that will help to deliver. Sinn Féin's track record on delivery — the A5, Casement, Magee university, and the list goes on — is one that it should rightly be embarrassed about.
“On the part of the DUP and me, we will continue to deliver for the hardworking people of Northern Ireland”.