To ask the Minister of Education to detail any plans to improve access to affordable and flexible childcare, including provision outside of standard school hours.

Improving access to affordable and flexible childcare, including school age childcare, has been a key consideration in the development of the draft Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Strategy. The Strategy has been informed by extensive engagement with childcare stakeholders, including SAC providers and representative organisations, to ensure that the needs of families requiring affordable and flexible childcare are reflected.

In September 2025, I expanded the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme (NICSS) to include eligible parents with school-age children (aged 4-11). This provides eligible working parents with an upfront 15% reduction in childcare costs, in addition to the 20% support available through the Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) Scheme. I also plan through the Strategy to improve the information available for families when making choices about their childcare arrangements.

The draft strategy sets out a number of actions to improve accessibility to childcare provision. These include proposals to increase the numbers of Approved Home Childcarers, who can look after a child in their own home. The draft strategy also includes an action, led by DfE, to support childcare providers who are facing sustainability challenges through the establishment of a specialist childcare business advisory service and the development of a Strategic Childcare Accessibility Fund. This Fund will be informed by mapping of supply and demand of childcare by area, which will initially focus on: areas of disadvantage, provision for children with additional needs, rural provision, social enterprise provision, families working atypical hours and wraparound care within the schools estate.