All Party Group on Early Education and Childcare

The Stormont All Party Group on Early Education and Childcare was established in 2020 to promote best practice policy and provision in the delivery of early education and childcare in Northern Ireland. Following its Annual General Meeting in May 2023, the following officers were elected:

Chairperson: Nicola Brogan, MLA (Sinn Féin)

Vice-Chairperson: Diane Dodds, MLA (DUP)

Secretary: Sinead McLaughlin, MLA (SDLP)

Treasurer: Nick Mathison, MLA (Alliance)

Further information about the All Party Group can be found on the Northern Ireland Assembly website here.

Since its establishment, the Group has met every second month and, as well as its MLA membership, has benefited from the constructive engagement of a wide range of key stakeholders including:

Departmental officials
Membership bodies from the early education and childcare sectors
Childcare providers
Charities and civic society organisations
Women’s sector lobbyists
Industry and employer representatives
Academics
Trade Unions
Other elected representatives.

Meetings of the Group provide an opportunity to hear from expert speakers and practitioners, as well as to discuss key issues affecting children, parents, childcare providers and our economy and society as a whole. They are regularly attended by 40+ stakeholders from across the childcare and early education sectors.

Employers For Childcare provides the secretariat for the All Party Group on Early Education and Childcare. To find out more, or to be added to the invitation list email Aoife Hamilton at strategy@employersforchildcare.org

You can find an update on each of the meetings of the All Party Group below:

February 2024: All Party Group focuses on the quality of early learning and childcare in Northern Ireland

November 2023: All Party Group hears about the experience of support for childcare in the Republic of Ireland

September 2023: All Party Group hears about the impact of childcare policy developments in England on early years and the key role of childcare in tackling disadvantage

June 2023: All Party Group hears about impact of finding and affording childcare on working parents and receives an update on the new Childcare Strategy

May 2023: Annual General Meeting and re-election of officers of All Party Group on Early Education and Childcare

April 2023: All Party Group hears about recent childcare developments in England and an update on the Review of Minimum Standards and the Childcare Strategy

January 2023: All Party Group hears about the impact of rising childcare costs on poverty and gender inequality

November 2022: All Party Group hears of crisis facing childcare sector in Northern Ireland alongside learning from international best practice

September 2022: All Party Group highlights importance of progress on new Childcare Strategy for Northern Ireland

June 2022: All Party Group on Early Education and Childcare AGM

March 2022: Key priorities for a new Childcare Strategy – views from stakeholders