Paul Frew MLA welcomes Ministerial assurances on ending pre-school disadvantage for working families

North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew

Paul Frew MLA has welcomed assurances from Education Minister Paul Givan that changes are planned to end the disadvantage currently faced by working families in the allocation of funded pre-school places, while warning that existing funding and capacity levels are still falling short of what families need.

The North Antrim DUP representative said parents across his constituency continue to experience real difficulty securing funded pre-school places, particularly in oversubscribed settings where statutory admissions criteria leave little or no capacity once priority is applied.

Mr Frew said the issue has been repeatedly raised with him by constituents navigating the pre-school admissions process.

“After being contacted by constituents who are facing difficulty accessing funded pre-school places for their children, it has become abundently clear to me that working families face an unfair disadvantaged when it comes to accessing funded pre-school places.”

While acknowledging the importance of supporting children from disadvantaged backgrounds, he stressed that the current system is no longer balanced in areas where demand significantly exceeds supply.

“It is the case for some pre-school settings across North Antrim that they have little to no capacity left to offer places after they fulfil their obligation to cater for socially disadvantaged children (SDC).

“Whilst it is paramount that children from disadvantaged backgrounds are given equal opportunities to other children when accessing pre-school services, this should not be to the detriment of working families.”

Mr Frew said the situation highlights a wider structural problem within the pre-school system, where funding and available places have not kept pace with changing patterns of work and childcare demand.

Against that backdrop, he welcomed confirmation from the Education Minister that the long-standing legislative priority given to Socially Disadvantaged Circumstances (SDC) is now under review.

“It is welcome news that the DUP Education Minister Paul Given has committed to looking at revising the current legislative priority in respect of SDC criterion. It is also positive news that the minister intends to move to a position where 22.5 hours is the standard offer for all pre-school target age children thus allowing the SDC criterion to be removed completely.”

In a recent letter to Mr Frew, Education Minister Paul Givan said the Department of Education believes sufficient funded provision remains available across Northern Ireland, despite pressures in certain localities.

“I can assure you that sufficient pre-school provision remains available across all areas to meet demand for funded pre-school education places for all target aged children.

“In each of the last twelve years at least 99.8% of children whose parents applied for a funded pre-school education place, and remained with the admissions process to the end, received an offer of a funded place in a setting of their parents choosing.”

Mr Givan explained that current admissions arrangements only come into effect when providers are oversubscribed.

“Current legislation requires that all pre-school providers must prioritise children from SDC before all other children in their admissions criteria.”

He acknowledged, however, that the policy — introduced in 1998 when pre-school places were limited — no longer reflects the present-day context.

“With universal pre-school provision now available for every target age child whose parents want it, I am of the view that the current legislative priority in respect of the SC criterion does need to be revised.”

The minister outlined progress through the Pre-school Standardisation Programme, confirming that 105 settings will transition to full-time provision from September 2025, creating an additional 2,500 full-time places.

A further 102 settings have been approved to transition from September 2026, delivering another 2,200 places.

Mr Givan said the issue will be revisited as part of the Executive’s Early Learning and Childcare Strategy, published for public consultation on 17 December 2025, which includes a proposal to consult on legislative changes to remove the statutory admissions priority once 22.5 hours becomes universally available.

Mr Frew said the assurances represent a positive step forward but stressed that reform cannot come quickly enough for families currently feeling excluded.

“This is positive news for working parents across Northern Ireland. It is vital that working are supported and given the same opportunities as others, as a party the DUP will continue to deliver for working families to ensure that all children in Northern Ireland are given the care and support that they deserve.”