Education Minister and Communities Minister today attended an event to
celebrate 146 new childminders trained through childminding
academies.
The training was provided through the Department for Communities'
Labour Market Partnerships (LMP) with funding of over £300,000
allocated by the Department of Education from Executive Early
Learning and Childcare funding.
During the event at Belfast City Hall, the Ministers heard about
the benefits of the programme from participants, Labour Market
Partnership representatives and a range of practitioners from the
childminding sector.
Education Minister , said:
“Delivering accessible and high-quality early learning and
childcare is one of the Executive's key priorities and an area
where real progress has already been made. The 146 new
childminders trained through this scheme will add capacity and
diversity to this essential service.
“Registered childminders provide professional care in a nurturing
home-from-home experience. Today's event is an excellent
opportunity to celebrate the contribution they make to the sector
and to the lives of the children they care for. I have secured a
further £55m Executive funding for Early Learning and Childcare
for 2025/26 to include funding to train additional childminders,
demonstrating my ongoing commitment to providing affordable
childcare.”
Communities Minister, :
“My Department's involvement in delivering this important
initiative through our Labour Market Partnerships demonstrates a
truly collaborative approach. Funding from the Department of
Education has enabled the expansion of the Childminding Academy
model across Northern Ireland.
“Childminders make a valuable contribution to enabling parents
and carers to move in to or remain in work.”
Training was delivered by the Northern Ireland Childminding
Association (NICMA) and was aimed at people not currently working
in the sector to encourage new childminders into the workforce.
LMP academies ensured participants acquired the necessary
training and qualifications to become registered childminders and
also provided support to help set up new childminding businesses.
The event celebrated the successes of LMPs-led training. Delivery
included mainstream childminding academies as well as culturally
appropriate childminding academies aimed at encouraging
participation from the Irish medium, Ukrainian, Bengali, Polish
and Arabic traditions.
Notes to editors:
1. DE provided just over £300k from the £25m package
for Early Learning and Childcare measures in 2024-25 to the
Department for Communities for this training, which was
implemented through the Labour Market Partnerships (LMPs) in each
council area.
2.Each local LMP can provide more information about childminding
academies and a range of other projects and events. LMPs can be
contacted directly through the relevant local Council or by
following the links on the NI Direct webpage Employment and training
opportunities in your area | nidirect
