10 September 2025 

SDLP Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin has urged the Executive and Education Minister to deliver a childcare strategy that tackles high costs for parents, supports providers and secures a sustainable workforce.

Speaking after the A Childcare Strategy for All event at Stormont on Wednesday, Ms McLaughlin said:

“Childcare is the foundation on which children’s development is built, families are able to thrive, and our economy is sustained. Yet parents continue to face eye-watering costs and providers are struggling to survive.

“Today’s event brought together the voices of parents, providers and campaigners who are demanding urgent change. The SDLP has consistently led on this issue, setting out our Childcare Guarantee to ensure every parent can access affordable, high-quality childcare when they need it. That is the level of ambition families deserve, and the benchmark against which the Executive’s plans will be judged.

“The message from today could not be clearer to the Education Minister – this strategy must be more than words on a page. It has to deliver by cutting costs for parents, giving providers stability, and creating career pathways for the childcare workforce. Families across the North will accept nothing less.”