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26/03/2025
Department Of Health Seeks Views On Key Childcare Issues
The Department of Health has launched a public consultation seeking input on two significant issues within the childcare sector in Northern Ireland: the requirement for prospective childcare workers to have a GP-countersigned health assessment and the current adult-to-child ratios in group childcare and childminding settings.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt announced the consultation, stating: "Childcare is a key priority for the Executive and my Department has a role to play in ensuring that the registration and inspection of childcare provision is proportionate, consistent, and effective."
He noted that the Minimum Standards for Childminding and Day Care, published in 2012, were designed to provide families with assurance regarding the quality of childcare services and to ensure a consistent approach to registration and inspection across Health and Social Care Trusts.
"The childcare landscape has changed significantly since 2012, and I am fully aware of the range of challenges currently facing the sector," Minister Nesbitt added. "This consultation exercise marks the start of the process of reviewing the Minimum Standards in their entirety."
The consultation document outlines various options concerning GP-countersigned health assessments and adult-to-child ratios for both group childcare and childminders. It also presents the Department of Health's preferred options, with respondents being asked to indicate their agreement or disagreement with these assessments in the consultation questionnaire.
The consultation specifically focuses on these two regulatory areas, which have been consistently raised with the Department in recent years.
Minister Nesbitt urged broad participation in the consultation process: "I want to encourage as many childcare sector representatives, childminders, day care providers, day care staff, childminding assistants, parents and carers to respond to the consultation as possible, to ensure that my final decisions with regards to potential changes in these areas are informed by a wide range of experiences and views."
The consultation is open for a period of 12 weeks, closing on 20 June 2025.
The consultation documents and details on how to respond are available on the Department of Health website and the Citizen Space platform.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt announced the consultation, stating: "Childcare is a key priority for the Executive and my Department has a role to play in ensuring that the registration and inspection of childcare provision is proportionate, consistent, and effective."
He noted that the Minimum Standards for Childminding and Day Care, published in 2012, were designed to provide families with assurance regarding the quality of childcare services and to ensure a consistent approach to registration and inspection across Health and Social Care Trusts.
The consultation document outlines various options concerning GP-countersigned health assessments and adult-to-child ratios for both group childcare and childminders. It also presents the Department of Health's preferred options, with respondents being asked to indicate their agreement or disagreement with these assessments in the consultation questionnaire.
The consultation specifically focuses on these two regulatory areas, which have been consistently raised with the Department in recent years.
Minister Nesbitt urged broad participation in the consultation process: "I want to encourage as many childcare sector representatives, childminders, day care providers, day care staff, childminding assistants, parents and carers to respond to the consultation as possible, to ensure that my final decisions with regards to potential changes in these areas are informed by a wide range of experiences and views."
The consultation is open for a period of 12 weeks, closing on 20 June 2025.
The consultation documents and details on how to respond are available on the Department of Health website and the Citizen Space platform.
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.
