Over £6.6 million allocated to Early Years providers in record Pathway Fund boost

A record £6.626 million has been allocated to Early Years providers across Northern Ireland through the Pathway Fund for the 2025-26 year, Education Minister Paul Givan has announced.

This marks the highest level of Pathway funding ever awarded, benefiting 876 eligible providers and significantly expanding support for early learning and childcare throughout the region.

The Pathway Fund provides financial assistance to settings that promote the social, physical, intellectual, communication and educational development of children at risk of educational underachievement.

“This year I have been able to deliver the highest ever level of funding allocated through the Pathway Fund,” said Minister Givan. “This will help support high quality provision and increased opportunities for our youngest learners to develop and thrive.”

The increase in funding was made possible by securing an additional £2.837 million from the Executive, enabling all eligible applicants to receive an award.

As part of the expanded investment, the maximum funding amount for Early Years settings has risen from £30,000 to £40,000, reflecting growing operational costs. The number of Early Years settings receiving support has also grown, from 175 in 2024-25 to 217 in 2025-26.

Additionally, the Minister announced the creation of a new funding stream specifically for Approved Home Childcarers and childminders, with 659 eligible applicants receiving awards of up to £500 under this scheme.

“This year, I have increased the maximum amount of funding available to Early Years settings by £10,000 to £40,000, in recognition of the increased running costs for providers,” Mr Givan added.

“I have also introduced a new funding stream for Approved Home Childcarers and childminders. This has allowed 659 eligible applicants from this group to receive awards of up to £500.”

During a recent visit to Bloomfield Playgroup, one of the award recipients, Minister Givan observed how the Pathway Fund is enhancing early learning environments.

“It was fantastic to see how the fund contributes to enriched play and learning opportunities and to hear from the staff about how this helps the children to develop and thrive,” he said. “I am also encouraged to see the obvious dedication of staff to nurturing the children they care for.”

The 2025-26 distribution includes:

• 217 awards to Early Years settings under Streams A and B

• 659 awards to childminders and Approved Home Childcarers under the newly introduced Stream C

The Department of Education continues to prioritise investment in early childhood development as a foundational step toward improving long-term educational outcomes.

For more information on the Pathway Fund and its eligibility criteria, visit the Department of Education Northern Ireland website.