To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister for his assessment of the (i) Childcare Fund within the Delivering Social Change Framework; (ii) initial targets for this fund; and to date (iii) whether these targets have been met.

As part of the Programme for Government, we committed to publish and implement a Childcare Strategy with key actions to provide integrated and affordable childcare. In the 2011-2015 Budget, £12 million was ring-fenced to support the development of the Executive’s Childcare Strategy. With the development of the first phase of the Strategy in 2013, it was agreed by the Childcare Strategy Programme Board that the £12 million fund would be used strategically to resource the Key First Actions. Of the £12 million childcare fund, £4.7 million has been allocated and £3.4 million spent. The balance will continue to be used to resource the Key First Actions of the Childcare Strategy.

The 15 Key First Actions were designed to meet the main areas of childcare need identified through research and consultation. The School Age Childcare Grant Scheme has been implemented from March 2014 and is the most ambitious action of the first phase of the Executive’s Childcare Strategy. Its exact funding requirements depend upon the quality and quantity of the applications submitted and how current and future successful projects progress. The Scheme is ongoing having created or sustained 2,200 childcare places and a further call for grant applications is expected to be made in November 2015.

The Executive Childcare Fund is not the budget for the full Childcare Strategy. The budget for the Childcare Strategy will be determined on the basis of the final version of the Strategy, to be developed post consultation.