16 June 2000

FARREN LINKS CHILDCARE TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

"Quality childcare benefits more than just children and parents - it is important to the economy," Dr Sean Farren, Minister for Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment, said last night.

The Minister was speaking after the Northern Ireland Childminding Association's (NICMA) annual training awards ceremony, which was held in Parliament Buildings, Stormont.

Congratulating more than 100 award winners for the training and qualifications they achieved, Dr Farren paid tribute to the role NICMA is playing in promoting training.

He said: "Giving parents the chance to pursue their careers and take jobs while at the same time ensuring that their children get the care and attention that they need is an important piece of the economic jigsaw.

"That is recognised in the Northern Ireland Childcare Strategy "Children First" which seeks to raise the quality of childcare and make it more accessible and affordable. NICMA have played a central role in helping make that happen and I congratulate them and the individuals who have won these awards on their success."

Bridget Nodder, Director of NICMA, said childminders are totally committed to improving their skills and knowledge in order to offer the best possible service.

She said: "Undergoing training and qualifications, whilst still working as a registered childminder and caring for children on a full time basis, means a great deal of hard work and commitment.

"NICMA have provided a range of training to suit individual needs including a distance learning package that allows childminders to study in their own time, childcare training to enable them to care for special needs children, and training for the Chinese community to allow them to care for their children within their own culture."

This year, for the first time, the Early Years National Training Organisation sponsored a special 'Achievement Award' which was presented to Mrs Jean

Sutters from Bangor for overcoming personal barriers in order to complete

her training and achieve an NVQ in Early Years Care & Education.

NOTE FOR EDITORS:

The Northern Ireland Childcare Strategy is set out in the Children First policy statement which was published jointly by the Training and Employment Agency, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and the Department of Education. Children First was published in September 1999. The Strategy has three key aims: raise the quality of childcare, make childcare more affordable and improve access to childcare.

For further information on NICMA please contact Bridget Nodder Tel: 028 91811015.