The Meltdown Parents NI group, which has gained much attention by sharing stories of parents with childcare cost struggles, has set short and long-term goals to tackle the crisis.
Initially launched as a way to give parents a voice, the group has now broadened its aims to include that first goal of real change in Northern Ireland’s childcare system.
They recently conducted a survey that received 2,000 responses about the crisis.
Also Read: Meet the 'Melted Parents’ Behind Popular NI Instagram Account
Becca Harper is one of the founding members of Melted Parents NI and said they worked hard to set clear goals for the short and long term.
Currently Northern Ireland is out of line with other parts of the UK where 30 hours of childcare per week is provided by the government.
„We quickly realized that if we wanted to create and create real change, we needed to share those stories from the core purpose of sharing them, but also have those political demands,” he said.
„It’s all well and good to have those stories, but if nothing changes in them, it doesn’t help solve the problem.
„We worked with Anna Mercer, a political consultant, and we knew what we wanted as parents, we weren’t seasoned politicians and we’d never written a political expository before.
“So that political consultant was able to help us implement our strategy in that form and we’ve sent it to all the political parties in Northern Ireland and they’re engaging with us.
„In a few weeks we’re attending an all-party committee on early education and childcare, so we’re moving from 'we have enough’ to 'what we want’.”
Melted Parent NI has set the following short-term goals:
- Remove the cap on government contributions to tax-free child care accounts.
- Extend the tax credit on child care account from 20% to 30%.
- While we wait for the right child care strategy, lifestyle fees help keep families afloat.
Their long term objectives are:
- Put parents at the center of designing a new child care system: All parties must agree that parents should be a central voice in child care discussions and be consulted as child care arrangements are developed.
- Establishing a sustainable childcare strategy: We ask that the parties commit to developing and publishing a childcare strategy within the first month of office, with a timeline for delivery.
- Honor Barnett Formula Allocations: Funding Stormont receives through the Barnett Formula for childcare and early learning provision for children of working parents must be allocated to the provision of childcare and related services.
He added that when parents feel they can no longer work, take care of their children and leave the workforce, they work to make a case to show that the entire economy is damaged.
„We have a survey going on and 2,000 parents have responded so far – a third of parents tell us they will change or leave their job in the next 12 months because of childcare costs. They haven’t decided, but it’s a consideration,” he said.
„Therefore, two-thirds of employees who use childcare are doing so or intend to do so in the next 12 months.
„We can’t wait for a childcare strategy, not just as a family, but as an economy.
„More talented people leave the workforce, and that has a ripple effect.”
The group continues to engage with local political representatives when the government is at an impasse.
„It’s about setting goals that have a short-term impact, because parents need help today, and an administrator comes in and the child care strategy is all well and good because it helps parents,” Becca said.
“We are acutely aware of the limitations we face as a campaign group now that Stormont is dead.
„But by working with Westminster and working with our devolved government, even if it is down, we can’t wait.
„It’s a precedent for NI citizens to be given living expenses payments without executive session, and things can get done.
„Obviously they have to be legal and appropriate, but I absolutely think change is achievable.”
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