MeltedParentsNI
@MeltedParentsNI
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Following
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155
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852
A group of parents and new friends sharing the human stories behind the childcare crisis in NI and its impact on society. Campaigning for childcare reform ✊🏽
Joined April 2023
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Pinned Tweet
Parents, we are delighted to announce that today we are finally launching
💻
A huge thank you to our incredible team of hard working mothers donating their skills and time (so much time!) to make this website happen!💕
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Enough is enough, a strategy has been promised for over a decade. The government must act now before it’s too late for families and the economy.
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Today marks the 100th day since
@niexecutive
returned, and here's what's been achieved for childcare:
- Numerous photo ops
- A 20% increase in childcare costs since June 2023
- An underfunded budget with no clear spending plan
And to think childcare was a ‘top priority’… 🫠
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Today we met with Minister
@paulgivan
, and MPs
@GRobinsonDUP
and
@ClaireHanna
to discuss a proposal for spending the £25million that Melted Parents submitted to the Minister on 7th May. We are happy to share that the Minister accepted some of our recommendations 🧵
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That’s a wrap on the
#MarchForChildcare
✊🏽! We are so humbled by the turnout - Power to the parents!! ✊🏽✊🏽
@ReclaimAgenda
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An open letter from us.
Parents; share this far and wide. On socials, with your friends, with anyone who’ll listen. Email your MPs, your Party leaders and your MLAs. Tell them your story. We must hold them to account and ensure they deliver and make this a day 1 priority.
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Big day for
@MeltedParentsNI
and for parents across Northern Ireland today - hoping for good news soon 👀🤞🏽
#PowerToTheParents
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Rumours swirled that an Executive would return in the autumn. We're now days away from December, entering the 22nd month without an Executive.
Families are at breaking point in the lead up to Christmas.
Enough is enough. ✊🏽
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64 days since childcare was made the ‘top 1 priority’ & other than supportive words & photo ops
@niexecutive
delivered nothing. In the meantime childcare fees went up by over 20%, some providers went out of business and several parents left the workforce. We need action, now.
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Today, our cofounder Becca shared the parent perspective at
#APNI24
’s panel on the urgent need for flexible, affordable, high-quality childcare in Northern Ireland. ✊🏽
Thank you for inviting us
@allianceparty
.
📸
@stewartcdickson
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🧵 1/5 Yesterday, we attended the All-Party Group on Early Education and Childcare in Stormont. We had the opportunity to present our campaign to MLAs from all political parties in NI and key stakeholders.
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On Saturday we finally announced a secret we’ve been keeping for a while: the Melted Parents March for Childcare on 20th April 📣 - we are overwhelmed with the positive response with hundreds of people already signed up for attending ✊🏽
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#childcare
is the first item on the
@niassembly
agenda for next week - brilliant news that remind us once again of the collective power of parents!
If you haven’t emailed your MLA, please do it! And if you did, do it again! Now more than ever, we need to get our voices heard!✊🏽
Next week's Order Papers have been published -
Monday's business includes memberships of the Statutory committees and 2 motions:
- High Quality Affordable Childcare
- Fundamental Appraisal of Planning System
/1
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We’re delighted to share some new content from
@SDLPlive
@ClaireHanna
on the childcare crisis. We’re proud as a campaign to be part of the network that’s working hard to raise this issue for parents in NI and gives us a real boost to keep doing what we’re doing.
It’ll take an Assembly to really get into fixes & reforms but I was glad to speak in a debate on childcare this week at Westminster, and to note the positive impact of those locally who have forced this up the political agenda!
Time to think big on this, for economy & equality👶
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MPNI stands behind the motion to
#remove2childlimit
. Our campaign has heard from countless parents pushed into poverty by childcare costs, further crippled by the 2-child limit for UC. This broken system is failing families - we need change now.
Excited to be at Stormont today to watch the Opposition Day debate on removing the Universal Credit two-child limit! Follow this thread for key points from the debate ⬇️
#remove2childlimit
#fightpoverty
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While we welcome this from First Minister
@moneillsf
- we need actions rather than the same words that were said weeks ago on day 1 of
@niexecutive
returning. Childcare bills have gone up as much as 20% since then. We need actual urgent intervention.
I am determined that this Executive will make childcare affordable and accessible for families.
And also supports childcare workers and providers, as many struggle to keep their doors open due to rising business costs.
I will work together with all parties to progress an
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We got sent this amazing picture from a Mum group - it's never to early to start lobbying Stormont!
Life changers of the future 👏🏽✊🏽
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Yesterday, we mentioned families going into poverty due to childcare - not long after we received this message from a mum. Where is the interim support promised 65 days ago
@niexecutive
@paulgivan
@moneillsf
@little_pengelly
@duponline
@uuponline
@allianceparty
@sinnfeinireland
?
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All we could think about after reading Laura's story is that members of our Executive are refusing to work just because they can, ignoring the families who are having their lives ruined due to the lack of any sort of support from the government.
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It’s very concerning that the same Executive that says ‘childcare will be the legacy of our government’ apparently hasn’t been able to develop any sort of plan to support it. £25m is hardly enough, but we are also keen to know what it will be used for. We need help now. ✊🏽
As for other agreed priorities. Childcare support has been described as a priority by all the Executive.
They have allocated... a paltry £25m, which as
@MeltedParentsNI
note, amounts to half an hour a month per NI child.
It isn't clear what it's even funding so feels tokenistic
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This is our inbox EVERY day. A few weeks ago we requested a 1-1 meeting with
@paulgivan
to represent your stories and share our data, solutions & the true reality of a melted parent in NI.
The meeting was declined.
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1/3 We’ve talked a lot about how NI compares to the rest of the UK & Ireland with regards to funding for childcare & early education.
NI has the least provision to support parents - with a lack of a sitting executive & a non existent strategy that’s been promised for a decade.
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We wonder why employers are struggling to recruit and retain mothers…
#ChildcareReformNow
Where are all the workers? ✍️
@JP_Biz
looks at the recruitment issues facing Northern Ireland's employers
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These are real childcare monthly bills for 2 days childcare a week for a 3 year old child. Can you spot the difference? The total for the English parents is £119.01 vs £501.41 for the NI parents.
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This is a huge step in the absence of an Executive 👏🏽
Glad
@CommonsNIAC
today agreed my proposal for an inquiry on childcare in NI in the New Year if an Executive isn’t in place.
I really hope this work can pick up where it should rightly be done, in Stormont, but if not we will hear evidence from key advocates & providers.
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We’ll be hosting an event at Stormont on 4th September. Our campaign for childcare reform is gaining traction, and we're determined to bring real change. Stay tuned for event details!
Thanks to all our supporters, together we'll make a difference! ✊🏽
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£25million for childcare - this is what £25m looks like per child based on 2021 census:
£219.68/child aged 0-4
£18.30/month
113,800 children aged 0-4 in NI
or
£68.45/child 0-14
£5.70/month
365,200 children ages 0-14 in NI
So basically 1/2 hour of childcare support per month.
Stormont ministers have agreed a budget for this financial year, with the Department of Health getting the largest share of day-to-day funding
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We were delighted to meet with
@Economy_NI
this morning. We firmly believe that childcare is a vital part of our economic infrastructure, and it is crucial for our government to recognise that affordable and accessible childcare is essential for enabling parents to work.
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We're absolutely delighted that after reaching out & meeting with us at the end of 2023 -
@PutneyFleur
thanked
@meltedparentsni
for our work and today - In Westminster asked an important question about the childcare crisis in NI.
I demanded today that the Government make clear its plan for childcare in Northern Ireland.
I met
@MeltedParentsNI
who represent parents across Northern Ireland, and demand a childcare strategy that delivers for families and supports them through the Tory cost of living crisis.
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1/2 We have serious concerns regarding
@Education_NI
policy of 22.5 hrs pre-school as
#childcare
offering. Pre-school is not childcare. This policy overlooks 0–3yo families & high wraparound costs and will have minimal impact on the pockets of families.
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1/2 🧵
Monday 4th September was a major milestone for our campaign. We launched our survey results and cemented our place in advocating for the families of Northern Ireland. ✊🏾
Our survey results snapshot is now available here
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MELTED PARENTS: ASSEMBLE! ✊
Help us gather crucial data for NI by filling out our first survey! 📝 Let's make our voices heard, push for real change, and make a difference together!
👉
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It's great to see
@stephenfarrymp
's letter to the Chancellor, addressing the challenges faced by NI in childcare provisions. The call for an increase in tax-free childcare relief from 20% to 30% is an important step towards improvement.
Childcare in NI needs an overhaul, and families need urgent support.
@StephenFarryMP
has written to the Chancellor calling for his intervention with an enhanced tax-free childcare scheme.
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At the same time, parents in Northern Ireland are getting letters informing of 10 - 15% increases in their
#childcare
costs and having to come up with hundreds of pounds extra within weeks with ZERO government support.
With my cousin in Scotland for a visit. She just got a message today to say her daily childcare rate is increasing to a whopping £67.50 per day. One key difference is that her 3 year old is entitled to 30 funded hours.
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A morning well spent at
@SCI_Belfast
#SCIHardwiringFairness
. Once again it comes back to looking at the bigger picture in Government, long term, sustainable goals that actually deliver for people that policy and services are built for -
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Today, we are at the
@SENreformNI
Survey Report Launch. We are proud to support another grassroots, parent-led campaign in their amazing work fighting for change and equality for families in NI. 👏🏽 👏🏽
Read the full report here 👉🏽
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Out of 2,600 parents who answered our survey, 88% told us their childcare bill costs more than mortgage or rent. Families are crippled.
@niexecutive
needs to urgently intervene & prioritise both short term, immediate support for the childcare crisis & get long term reform right.
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There’s no doubt that delivering a satisfactory childcare strategy will take time, but we were also promised urgent short term intervention and so far nothing has happened. We need action now - unfortunately for many families it’s already too late.
@moneillsf
@little_pengelly
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Thank you
@KateNicholl
@NickDMathison
@connieegan94
@allianceparty
for an engaging meeting to discuss the pressing issues today and the future of Childcare for an incoming
NI Executive ✊🏽
It was good to meet the brilliant
@MeltedParentsNI
(& baby Luke) today in Stormont to discuss the importance of childcare and how we can work together to make policy more fit for purpose. These women are superwomen!
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Tank you
@SDLPlive
for taking time to listen to us and giving us a platform to spread our message! ✊🏽
The cost of childcare is having an enormous impact on parents, their careers, their mental health and most importantly, their children.
We’re inspired by the work
@MeltedParentsNI
are doing and the SDLP Opposition is determined to make addressing this crisis a top priority.
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Great to hear from
@allianceparty
that we need actions, not just words. Melted Parents are working hard in the background to ensure true parent representation at all levels in the coming weeks and months.
"People are having to choose between career and childcare and it's not in anyone's interest, least of all the child," says
@KateNicholl
.
We urgently need to see delivery from the Education Minister and commitment that this is not just words.
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⚠️Important Information for Parents – NI Subsidy Scheme⚠️ Parents, please read this post carefully 👉
@earlyyearsorg
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🧵1/4 Childcare bills at £542 a month? We wish! The recent Review of childcare services in NI report highlights the average cost, but it doesn't capture the harsh reality many families face at the 0-4 stage. Most parents pay double, triple, or even quadruple that amount.
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On 21st June,
@MeltedParentsNI
will attend the all-party group on early education and childcare at Stormont.
This is a major step for our campaign!
We will attend the APG together with other parent who will share powerful stories highlighting the impact of the childcare crisis.
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Since March 2023, we've shared stories like today's, data, and proposed solutions. Yet, after 13 months,
@NIExecutive
has taken zero action. Enough is enough. That's why this Saturday we'll
#MarchForChildcare
✊🏽
Join us 👉🏽
@ReclaimAgenda
Yesterday, we mentioned families going into poverty due to childcare - not long after we received this message from a mum. Where is the interim support promised 65 days ago
@niexecutive
@paulgivan
@moneillsf
@little_pengelly
@duponline
@uuponline
@allianceparty
@sinnfeinireland
?
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Today we shared the story of a granny who helps caring for her grandkids but sometimes resents it as she is tired and would like to enjoy her retirement. Most important: she doesn’t blame her kids for expecting her to help, but the government who puts families in this position.
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Is it really free? With a lack of funded spaces, awkward session times, wraparound care for pick up and drop off to the funded few hours costing MORE than the normal day rate - See the comments on our insta or share yours here
#meltedparentsni
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Us right now
@ni_parent
Where has the urgency for immediate childcare support gone? All talk? April increases are coming.
@duponline
@sinnfeinireland
@niexecutive
@moneillsf
@paulgivan
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A parent said to us - ‘I feel like I’m denying my kids opportunities simply by choosing to live in NI’.
Yesterday’s budget means the baby blind spot grows. Our children, the youngest & most vulnerable - deserve better.
@chhcalling
#meltedparentsni
#babyblindspot
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Do I want another baby? Yes.
But do I also want to go back to work or education without being stressed, crippled by childcare costs and guilty for leaving my children when financially as a family we’re no better off for it? Also yes.
Fixed it for the parents in N.Ireland. 🫠
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Another story highlighting NI’a unofficial one-child policy. Can you imagine being a mum who wants another child but living in fear of another pregnancy and the difficult choices that would come with it?
@niexecutive
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It’s a big day for NI. Mixed emotions but finally, progress. ✊🏽
W/ a deal from Westminster agreed - we want to know how much of the package will be spent on childcare?
All political parties we’ve met with since March agreed this was a top priority for a returning executive.
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Thank you
@BBCNewsNI
for the coverage of our event and most importantly, for giving a voice to the parents. ✊🏽
"If we had a second child I'd would have to consider leaving work because of my childcare bill."
Parents in NI are calling for childcare reform to be a "day-one priority" when Stormont returns.
Read more 👇
@MeltedParentsNI
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1/3 Take a look at this bill!! This is an actual value that was sent to us by a parent!! Childcare expenses in Northern Ireland are significantly impacting families' budgets.
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Thank you
@BBCNewsNI
- you can see the full video here 13 mins in -
"Your child still needs taken care of, you still need to go to work."
Parents in Northern Ireland are being crushed by soaring childcare costs with some reporting suicidal thoughts, according to campaigners,
@MeltedParentsNI
.
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Delighted to hear that
#childcare
is as a priority for new
@niexecutive
. Great news for families, providers and for NI’s society as a whole.
Thank you all for supporting our campaign. The collective power of parents and supporters is already making a difference ✊🏽
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A brave group of parents joined us at the APG to tell their lived experiences of being a parent during the childcare crisis. Their stories were by far the strongest part of our presentation. Today we are sharing the first of five stories.
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On Saturday we attended
@BreastivalNI
where our cofounder Becca joined the panel ‘Breastfeeding and returning to work’ to talk about her own journey as a
#breastfeeding
mother & Melted Parents' work empowering working parents & fighting for childcare reform in NI. ✊🏽
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Yesterday we mentioned researching for a post about affordability of a second child and how shocking the numbers were. Well, here they are 🤯
In summary: the average working family in NI can’t afford a second child.
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This should not be the normal but unfortunately we keep seeing more and more stories like this one. People shouldn’t have to leave the workforce due to unaffordable childcare.
@BBCNewsNI
@MeltedParentsNI
Childcare costs us £800+ per month. My wife currently works 3 days p/week. If she was to work 4 days p/week, with the additional £100+ that would incur p/week, she would bring home £4 extra a month.
Going back to work for additional days is simply to cover the cost of childcare.
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Thank you
@KateNicholl
for reading Nora's story at today's niassembly's
Plenary Session - a crucial reminder to
@niexecutive
that parents can't wait anymore for empty promises.
#ChildcareReformNOW
✊🏾
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📣📣Attention parents 📣📣
The NI Childcare Subsidy Scheme Portal is now open for parents. Click here to register
Please share!!
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Let’s go parents ✊🏽✊🏽✊🏽
Parents we need now, more than ever.
Thanks to
@actnowni
you can send our letter to your MLA at the touch of a button. Help us put the pressure on all parties to prioritise childcare.
Click here and help us get parents’ voices heard 👉🏽
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@KateNicholl
Thank you for all your work on this
@KateNicholl
! You have helped keep childcare on the Executive’s agenda from day 1 👏🏽
And we agree, this is a positive start on developing a strategy and shows commitment to working on the issue - bring on the next steps ✊🏽
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We are delighted to learn we have been shortlisted for
@theparentrooms
Awards 💫💕
It’s an honour to be recognised by the work we do representing and supporting NI families ✊🏽
Thank you guys and see you on 17th May!
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A 22% increase - which doesn’t surprise us as it reflects our survey results that can be read here 👉🏽
Parents are losing hope on
@niexecutive
and we can’t blame them. Immediate intervention was promised but so far only words.
Enough is enough ✊🏽
Just recieved word that childcare increase has gone from £49 to £60 a day. I’m actually in tears as for two kids that’s £1600 per month based on PT hours. I literally can’t afford it. Shame on you
@niexecutive
. I’ve never hated a government so much than NI.
@MeltedParentsNI
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🧵1/5 On Wednesday, we will be at Stormont, addressing MLAs at the APG on
#EarlyEducation
&
#Childcare
. One of our requests is for our Executive to ‘Honour Barnett formula allocations,’ but what does this mean?
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Can’t wait to work together on this!
The voices of parents are crucial in shaping a childcare strategy that addresses the needs of NI’s families.
✊🏽👏🏽
Positive to hear new FM
@moneillsf
mention
#childcare
as a priority for new
@niexecutive
- we look forward to working with the new Ministers to deliver progress on this critical economic issue
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It’s time for parents to make more noise than ever ✊🏽
@MeltedParentsNI
@duponline
@SDLPlive
@sinnfeinireland
@allianceparty
@uuponline
We can always have hope but with the childcare strategy sat on the desk for the past 20 years I’ll believe it when I see it
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Busy day for our team today - meetings w/
@RobbieButlerMLA
,
@DianeForsytheNI
&
@Education_NI
officers. We raised concerns about the lack of parent representation in childcare discussions &
@paulgivan
’s upcoming announcement post Easter break.
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1
10
Breaking news: the Christmas miracle may be on the way… The question is: will the executive prioritise childcare with these funds?
Has childcare featured in any negotiations?
Families are struggling, fee increases are on the way. It has to change now ✊🏽
Breaking: The government is offering a significant financial package to support the return of Stormont - including a lump sum to settle public sector pay claims.
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1 week since we shared our survey results on NI's childcare crisis. We also on all parties to make a childcare strategy the number 1 priority when the Executive returns, with a clear timeline for action in pthe first 100 days of the new government.
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The childcare strategy is delayed again. It’s disappointing & disheartening but above all it’s devastating for our families & our economy.
Being very honest, we’re not just concerned about the timeline, we’ve also serious concerns about the content.
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This is an interim measure and most importantly: a start after a lot of talk that shows that we are moving forward towards solving the childcare crisis in Northern Ireland, and Melted Parents won’t stop until every family in NI has the support they need and deserve. ✊🏽
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The collective power of parents is working!✊🏽
Thank you to everyone who sent our letter to their MLAs, Michelle we look forward to representing parents in the coming months! 👏🏽
@moneillsf
@niexecutive
All parties in the Stormont Executive agree that Northern Ireland needs a better funding model from Westminster, new NI First Minister Michelle O'Neill has said
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Great week for Melted Parents NI - Tweet or tell us on Insta what you’d like to see from us this week! ✊🏽
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A few photos from our event yesterday at
@boundarybrewing
. A lovely evening engaging with other melted parents and supporters and also the beginning of what we hope will be a series of Melted Parents NI Mixers!
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Catch us on
@utv
tonight talking about the childcare crisis and how a childcare strategy could lead to a positive ripple effect across the economy.
Executive urged to implement childcare strategy with 'positive ripple effect' across economy
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Great news
@Matthew_Burt
, thank you for sharing!
We agree, still work to do but it’s good to hear things are finally moving ✊🏽
We are meeting with
@Education_NI
next week to get an update, and we’ll share all news with parents asap!
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#GE24
is coming & our vote is critical to ensure we elect candidates who will help deliver on childcare. We outlined our key policy asks for our soon-to-be elected MPs & shared how voters can push for change & what MPs can do to suppprt parents in NI.
🗳️👉🏽
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Today we received several messages from parents talking about the price raises and how they will struggle to afford / might leave the workforce. Families and providers need support NOW ✊🏽😔
@niexecutive
@paulgivan
@Education_NI
I appreciate there is a backlog & many pressing issues on all Ministers desks - but the childcare sector doesn’t have weeks. With minimum wages going up (which is good) but no investment in the sector, parents will shoulder costs & settings will close. This needs urgent action.
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We TOTALLY agree Stacey. This is a child, parent, society economic crisis - it requires urgent action from our politicians.
Our full post is here -
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Parents we need now, more than ever.
Thanks to
@actnowni
you can send our letter to your MLA at the touch of a button. Help us put the pressure on all parties to prioritise childcare.
Click here and help us get parents’ voices heard 👉🏽
0
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Investing in affordable, high-quality childcare empowers working parents, promotes children's wellbeing, and contributes to a fair and thriving society.
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We couldn’t agree more. 👏🏽
Childcare is economic infrastructure and investing in it will positively impact not only parents and children but society as a whole.✊🏽
Big & positive week in NI for the business community. But what does investing in NI mean to you? We have been pondering this question & looking at the evidence that supports our answer. We believe it is in everybody's interest to value & invest at the earliest stage- do you?
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Quick update: we're still here! Parties agreed on bespoke childcare needing to be delivered but referencing that this will take time. Many comments around the need for urgent intervention - what that looks like, we don't know but we will continue to press the importance of this.
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