AQW 37622/22-27

Mrs Michelle Guy
Alliance Party
Lagan Valley

Tabled Date: 06/01/2026
Answered On Date: 14/01/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to detail any protocols in place to address instances where a childcare provider that is part of the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme is deemed to have increased fees at an inappropriate or excessive rate.

Answer:

There are currently no protocols in place to address instances where a childcare provider participating in the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme (NICSS) is deemed to have increased fees at an inappropriate or excessive rate. The NICSS is a voluntary scheme to reduce childcare bills for working parents. My Department does not regulate childcare fees or have authority to impose price controls on providers, most of whom operate as private businesses.

Determining whether a fee increase is inappropriate or excessive would require a detailed understanding of each provider’s business model and financial position, including whether the increase was necessary to maintain sustainability. This level of assessment is outside the scope of NICSS and outside the remit of my Department.

The Department does, however, monitor overall fee trends through NICSS data to inform policy development under the draft Executive Early Learning and Childcare Strategy. Proposals within the draft Strategy, currently out for public consultation, aim to improve transparency for families by requiring providers to publish their fees, and to support providers to operate effectively and manage cost pressures through a Childcare Business Advisory Service.