SDLP Economy Spokesperson Sinéad McLaughlin has said that a major childcare review by the Department of Education paints a damning picture of the scale of the crisis faced by the childcare sector.
Said the Foyle MLA: “The picture painted by this review is both damning and all too familiar on the scale of the crisis faced by our childcare sector.
“The extensive and thorough research demonstrates that parents are paying exorbitant costs for childcare each and every month, even while providers struggle to make ends meet and workers in childcare settings leave the sector for higher wages.
“There is no doubt that these costs are acting as a major handbrake on our economy, locking many parents, especially women, out of the labour market altogether.
“Parents are also rightly frustrated that every other part of these islands is making progress on tackling substantial childcare costs, all while families here are left behind.
“As part of the SDLP Childcare Rescue Plan I launched earlier this year, I called for an information campaign to be rolled out in order to increase awareness of the support available to.
“In light of the findings of this review, I would call on the Department of Education to reconsider its earlier reluctance to engage in a wide-scale campaign.
“On Wednesday, I was pleased to meet with the parent advocacy group Melted Parents NI who are campaigning for reform as part of the All-Party Group on Early Education and Childcare and my colleague Claire Hanna MP raised this issue directly with the Secretary of State on Wednesday during Northern Ireland Questions.
“The SDLP is determined to put this issue front and centre where it belongs, until all parents have access to universal and affordable childcare.”
