Education Minister Paul Givan has announced a significant £55 million package of measures for early learning and childcare, including the extension of the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme (NICSS) to cover school-age children.

Speaking after the support measures received Executive approval, the Minister said: "Today, the Executive agreed an additional £55m investment in early learning and childcare in 2025-26. On becoming Education Minister, I pledged to help working parents with the cost of childcare and I am very pleased to announce that the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme will now be extended to include school age children from 1 September 2025."

Minister Givan highlighted the previous success of the scheme, which initially focused on parents of very young children. "Last year, my priority was to develop a subsidy scheme that would reduce childcare costs for the parents of very young children, who often experience the greatest costs. So far, the Childcare Subsidy Scheme has saved Northern Ireland parents approximately £8m which they would have had to pay in childcare fees."

He explained that the extension is a direct response to public calls and aims to support a much larger group of working parents. "Since the Scheme launched in September 2024, there have been repeated calls to extend it to school age children. Today’s funding boost will allow us to do this and provide support for a much larger group of working parents. It is estimated the number of children who could benefit from the discount will now increase by 60%, from the current 15,000, to approximately 24,000." Under the extended scheme, working parents of school-age children will receive a 15% subsidy on their childcare bills, up to a capped amount. When combined with Tax Free Childcare, this could provide a total reduction of up to 32% on childcare costs.

The £55 million investment will also enable the sustainment and growth of other vital early years services. "Today’s investment will enable the significant progress that has been made over the past year to be sustained, with further growth in key areas. I am now able to expand vital early years services such as Sure Start, the Pathway Fund, Toybox and the Bookstart Baby Programme," the Minister added. He also committed to continuing the expansion of pre-school education towards providing 22.5 hours per week for all children in their immediate pre-school year, with plans for at least 100 additional settings to provide 2,000 full-time places by September 2026.

Minister Givan stated that the package "reflects my ongoing commitment to prioritise early years, given the impact this can have on children’s future outcomes, particularly those from more disadvantaged backgrounds or with additional needs."

These measures are presented as the next step in delivering the Programme for Government commitment to provide "More Affordable, Accessible, High-Quality Early Learning and Childcare."

Reconfirming his intention to publish a comprehensive Early Learning and Childcare Strategy by autumn 2025, Minister Givan concluded: "There is much that could be done, but there is a limit to what can be achieved this year with the funding available. Over the past year, we have made real progress across a number of areas and the measures I am announcing today will maintain that momentum. I look forward to publishing an Early Learning and Childcare Strategy later this year."