Childcare Costs: Upfront Assistance

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Communities – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 2:15 pm on 30 November 2021.

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Photo of Deirdre Hargey Deirdre Hargey Sinn Féin 2:15, 30 November 2021

We all saw in the media last week the issues that are having an impact on the sector and on families. When that comes on top of a fuel crisis and a cost-of-living crisis, the problem becomes critical. On social security, I have done what I can with upfront childcare costs, and we already see the benefits of that. Since it was introduced a number of weeks ago, 50 people have come forward and received money to cover those upfront costs. Of course we need to bring forward a childcare strategy, and that needs to be done without delay.