To ask the Minister of Education when he will deliver on the New Decade, New Approach commitment to publish a childcare strategy and childcare budget.

Resources of the Childcare Unit within my Department have been solely focussed on the response to the Covid-19 pandemic since March of this year. While this remains the immediate priority, the learning from the past eight months will help shape our plans for the full Executive Ten Year Childcare Strategy.

I have committed to a Strategic Insight Lab which will take on board this experience and, with input from key stakeholders, help inform the development of a roadmap for the way ahead. This is being planned for the New Year (work on the Covid-19 pandemic, permitting). It will provide an opportunity to review the assumptions and actions within the draft Childcare Strategy, including the commitment to an Early Education and Childcare Offer as referenced in ‘New Decade New Approach’.

There is currently no capital or revenue budget allocated to my Department to fund the Executive Childcare Strategy. Significant policy and resourcing issues have yet to be considered and decisions on these will require Executive agreement.