Lisburn charity calls for urgent action to support families as the childcare sector crisis continues

Results from a new survey show more childcare providers are struggling financially while the majority of parents are having to find even more money to pay for the childcare they need to work in 2024. Already at crisis point, neither the sector – nor the families who rely on it – have any more to give.

Commenting on the research findings, Marie Marin, Chief Executive, Employers For Childcare said: “This latest research builds on the picture that we have been presenting for the past number of years of a sector in ever-worsening crisis.

"We have already seen a number of childcare settings go out of business as they simply couldn’t continue in the absence of investment, and there is a real risk of further closures. This will be disastrous for parents, for children and for our wider economy.

“In the absence of support from Government, their own rising costs mean that childcare providers have no choice but to increase fees to parents, who are already struggling to afford the childcare they need.

"Many parents are being priced out of the childcare market, leading them to question whether they can continue to work, at a time when employers across many key sectors are struggling to recruit and retain staff."

Marie continued: “We were heartened that our call for childcare to be identified as a day one priority was taken up by Ministers, the new Executive and Stormont Committees earlier this year.

"Expectations have rightly been raised with families and across the sector that finally, after years of campaigning, we will see meaningful support provided. But the reality is that nothing has yet been delivered and warm words alone will not pay the bills.

"While we appreciate an ambitious new Early Learning and Childcare Strategy will take some time to deliver, in the meantime we need to see an urgent package of financial support to offset fee increases and deliver a lifeline to families and the childcare sector.”