AQW 45060/11-15

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 24/04/2015
Answered On Date: 11/05/2015
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education, following cuts to his Department's Early Years fund, how he will ensure that groups will be able to sustain a high quality early years services to vulnerable children and families in areas of great need.

Answer:

The Executive’s Budget has been reduced by the Westminster Government by £1.5bn over the last five years. As a direct result of this reduction there is significantly reduced money to spend on frontline services such as Education. I have taken every action possible to protect Education funding and those frontline services within the Department of Education’s (DE) remit, however, it is simply impossible to protect everything.

The DFP Review of the Early Years Fund (2013) found that the Fund, which is administered by Early Years – the Organisation for Young Children, has effectively remained as a “closed” Fund since introduced by DHSSPS in 2004, to applicant groups that were in areas of greatest need of support to become sustainable at that time, following the ending of Peace II funding. It is therefore not equitable to allow it to continue in its current form as only currently funded groups can apply to receive support.

I fully recognise the importance of Early Years education particularly for our most disadvantaged of children which is why, despite the difficult budgetary position, I have committed over £216m toward Early Years education for 2015/16 to ensure that key services are protected as far as possible.

I have committed to review my budget to establish if a Fund can continue beyond 31st August, however, it is important that any new funding will be open to all applicants, not just current recipients and be aligned to the priorities of DE. If funding becomes available, this will be a priority for my Department.

Any new DE funding to support Early Years will be strategically aligned to the Department’s “Learning to Learn” (a framework for Early Years Education and Learning). Alignment will ensure improved outcomes for young children and their families and DE will ensure that all funded Early Years services are subject to a thorough inspection process to maintain quality of provision.