Statement On Childcare Voucher Scheme

The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, Patricia Lewsley, said:

“I am concerned at the proposed withdrawal of the childcare voucher scheme as it will have a serious and detrimental affect on the quality of life for children in Northern Ireland.  

This scheme offered working parents the opportunity to get back to the workplace while availing of good quality childcare for their children.

Northern Ireland has one of the highest levels of child poverty in the United Kingdom.  The Executive has already identified this and that the lack of childcare is one of the biggest contributory factors to this.

The abolition of this scheme will further heighten problems around the availability of sufficient, quality, accessible and affordable childcare.”

MEDIA ENQUIRIES For more information please contact Andrew McGall, Communication Officer at NICCY on 028 9031 1616 or   communications@niccy.org