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Title: CALL FOR EDUCATION MINISTER TO CHAMPION EARLY YEARS STRATEGY
Date: 30th July 2007
News Details:
-Presentation of Early Years Manifesto -
An alliance of groups working with and for children and their families, is urging the Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane, to champion the care and education of our youngest children within the new Assembly in Northern Ireland.
The Early Years Strategic Alliance (EYSA), which represents organisations from across the child care and women’s sectors, will meet with Caitríona Ruane on Wednesday 1 August to encourage her colleagues in government to give priority to the development of a new Early Years Strategy. In particular it will urge politicians to ensure that money would be available to enable the strategy to be fully and effectively implemented.
The development of a new Early Years Strategy, which deals with issues affecting children up to six years of age, has been instigated by the Department of Education as part of its new responsibility for early years and family policy. The strategy will focus on issues such as poverty, disability, isolation and discrimination and how they can impact on the well-being of children and families.
The EYSA has developed a manifesto outlining key areas they want the Minister to concentrate efforts on when developing the new Early Years Strategy:
• Equal access to early years, childcare and family support services to all children
• Involving and engaging children in public decision making
• Mainstreaming early intervention and prevention initiatives in early years services
• Access to quality, affordable childcare to meet demand across Northern Ireland
• A transformation fund for the childcare workforce in Northern Ireland
• Promotion and safeguarding of children’s right to play
Spokesperson for the Alliance and Director of Children in Northern Ireland Pauline Leeson warmly welcomed the new Education Minister into post and said the group was encouraged by the commitment shown by government in announcing the development of a new strategy. She added, ‘The Department of Education can further demonstrate the priority it is giving to early years and family policy by ensuring that monies are secured from the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review process to fully and adequately implement the strategy when it is finalised.’
Also speaking on behalf of the Alliance, Patricia Haren of the Women’s Support Network said, “From our point of view there is a real need to ensure that women have access to quality, affordable and age appropriate childcare provision. While childcare should be a parental issue; the reality is that this responsibility often falls to mothers. Having access to childcare removes a key barrier facing women who wish to enter/re-enter the labour market or undertake training or education.”
The Early Years Strategic Alliance has been encouraged by the open and inclusive approach, which the Department of Education has taken to the development of this new strategy. Many of its members are represented on the working groups, which are feeding into its development. It is anticipated that the strategy will be launched for public consultation at the end of the year.
Ends//
For all media enquiries please contact Janet McKay on 07968 817514 or email janetmckaypr@hotmail.co.uk
Notes to the Editor:
The Early Years Strategic Alliance is jointly chaired by Children in Northern Ireland and the Women’s Support Network. It was established in September 2005 and currently has 16 members. Membership is open to all those organisations working with and for children in their early years and their families.
Children in Northern Ireland (CiNI) is the regional umbrella body for the children’s sector in Northern Ireland. CiNI provides information, policy, training and participation services to its 106 members to support them in their direct work with and for children.
Women’s Support Network is an umbrella organisation of community-based women’s groups, centres and organisations in Northern Ireland, WSN plays a unique role in co-ordinating and networking with these organisations and facilitating joint lobbying to challenge inequity and promote positive policy change within a democratic framework.
Current members of the Early Years Strategic Alliance include:
• Children in Northern Ireland (CiNI)
• Women’s Support Network
• NICMA
• Mencap Segal Nursery
• NCH NI
• PlayBoard NI
• Lifestart Foundation
• Inner City South Belfast Sure Start
• Employers for Childcare
• NCB NI
• Gingerbread NI
• NI Rural Women’s Network
• Shankill Women’s Centre
• Homestart NI
• Multi-Cultural Resource Centre
• Newtownards Road Women’s Group
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