Support for childminders must be central to review of minimum standards – Mason

Sinn Fein spokesperson for childcare and early years Cathy Mason MLA has called for childminders to be supported through a departmental review of minimum standards.

The South Down MLA said; 

“Childminders play a vital role in providing high-quality, flexible, and family centered childcare despite the ongoing challenges they face, particularly the delay in the review of minimum standards.

“The review is critical to ensuring that there is a clear, fair, and supportive regulatory framework that reflects the pressures facing childminders, while maintaining high standards of care.

“Childminders are a lifeline for many families, particularly for parents of children with physical disabilities or special educational needs, who often struggle to find suitable childcare.

 “I am calling on both the Minister for Education and the Minister for Health to work together to expedite this review to ensure that childminders are supported and that families have access to the quality childcare they need.

“I again call on the Education Minister to urgently deliver a Childcare and Early Years strategy that works for parents, providers, and, most importantly, our children. Supporting childminders must be a key part of that.”