Remember, Remember the 5th October...
Thursday 5 November 2009 The day Gordon Brown was hand delivered the ChildcareSOS (Save our Savings) petition on his visit to Stormont Parliament Buildings.
Employers For Childcare have continued their campaign ChildcareSOS at the front of Belfast City Hall on Monday 2nd November.
This petition was signed by 1000s of anxious parents, employers and childcare providers. Cross party support was gained with many politicians adding their signatures to the petition prior to it being handed to Gordon Brownin reaction to his announcement to ‘axe’ the childcare voucher scheme. Since the demonstration, an early day motion to oppose the Prime Minister’s proposal has been lodged at Westminster. Employers For Childcare have continued their campaign ChildcareSOS at the front of Belfast City Hall on Monday 2nd November. With the support of local children dawning Gordon Brown face masks accompanied by Northern Ireland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People, Patricia Lewsley, Belfast's Lord Mayor Naomi Long and local politicians in demonstration against Gordon Browns proposals to encourage others to join in the petition. The Commissioner stated “I am concerned at the proposed withdrawal of the childcare voucher scheme as it will have a serious and detrimental affect on the quality of life for children in Northern Ireland. This scheme offered working mothers the opportunity to get back to the workplace while availing of good quality childcare for their children. Northern Ireland has one of the highest levels of child poverty in the United Kingdom…The abolition of this scheme will further heighten problems around the availability of sufficient, quality, accessible and affordable childcare.” Justification for this reform is the Prime Minister’s assertion that the voucher scheme primarily benefits those on high income. It is his ‘Robin hood gesture’ in the run up to the election, to give back to the ‘working class’ from taking this benefit off the ‘high earners’. However, research into the take up of childcare vouchers found that the majority of users of the scheme were basic rate tax payers. It is the middle income, hard working families who are just above the threshold for means tested benefits that are set to lose out most. Employers For Childcare CEO Marie Marin said “It is important to keep up the strength of the campaign to petition Gordon Brown’s proposal to axe childcare vouchers. We will continue to campaign on behalf of parents, employers and childcare providers across the UK until these proposals have been dropped. To add further strength please ensure that you sign the petition and contact your local politician, have your voice heard”. Register your opposition to these proposals by emailing childcareSOS@employersforchildcare.org and by logging on to the Downing Street website at http://www.number10.gov.uk. << Go BACK
Employers For Childcare News
Latest news and updates for employers on developments and best practice on family-friendly workplaces.
- Father's Day Competition Winner's
Thank you to all those that applied for the Father's Day Newsletter Competitions. Congratulations to...
Little Masterpiece winners brother and sister Chloe and Benjamin Brawshaw and young Jessica Eve Sutherland!
Gingerbread Man winners Tom Martin and Owen McCarney!
- Are You Missing Out? 2008
Reasons for employers, parents and childcare providers to use childcare vouchers. Information on tax credits.
Newsletters
Working For Parents News
Advice and Information resource for working mums and dads on childcare and work-related issues.
|
