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Northern Ireland Childcare Strategy: A Work in Progress?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 January 2025

Alexandra Chapman Open the ORCID record for Alexandra Chapman [Opens in a new window]  and
Ciara Fitzpatrick Open the ORCID record for Ciara Fitzpatrick [Opens in a new window]
Alexandra Chapman*
Affiliation:
Ulster University, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Ciara Fitzpatrick
Affiliation:
Ulster University, Belfast, Northern Ireland
*
Corresponding author: Alexandra Chapman; Email: a.chapman1@ulster.ac.uk
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Abstract

Northern Ireland has been without a Childcare Strategy for more than a decade – the only region in the United Kingdom (UK) that does not have one. As a devolved responsibility, progress in childcare has been significantly limited, and there is currently no government-funded childcare provision available. This is compared to England, Scotland, and Wales, where investment to expand provision has been introduced to help parents meet the cost of childcare by providing funded entitlement. This article examines and discusses policy developments in early education and childcare in Northern Ireland and the other UK nations. It is argued that the lack of progress by the Northern Ireland Executive to develop a Childcare Strategy overlooks it’s economic and social importance and reflects how childcare continues to be underfunded and undervalued.

Keywords

Childcareearly educationgender equalitydevolutionNorthern Ireland
Type
Article
Information
Social Policy and Society , First View , pp. 1 - 14
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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