Gildernew announces £1.3million investment in rural childcare

Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Michelle Gildernew MP, MLA today announced investment of £1.3million to improve childcare provision in rural areas.

The Minister made her announcement at an event organised by the ARC Healthy Living Centre, Irvinestown, which is one of twenty projects throughout the north supported by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s, Rural Childcare Programme.

Addressing delegates at the event, the Minister reinforced the valuable contribution of childcare services to the economic and social development of rural areas, and highlighted how the Rural Childcare Programme is addressing the unique challenges faced by rural families and childcare providers.

Michelle Gildernew said: “Ensuring families’ access to affordable, high quality childcare for their children helps increase opportunities for the entire family. Children benefit from exposure to a quality learning environment and it helps promote economic activity and alleviate poverty by enabling parents to avail of employment opportunities or access training and further education. This is especially important for rural women who are traditionally restricted as a result of family responsibilities.

“While primary responsibility for childcare provision is not that of my department, I see my role very clearly as a champion of rural issues across government. That is why I set up the Rural Childcare Stakeholder Group to work with providers to understand the barriers and solutions to delivering and accessing childcare in rural areas. Provision in rural areas raises particular challenges when developing strategies to increase the supply, quality, accessibility, and affordability of child care and expand the options available to parents.

“Through the Rural Childcare Programme, we are actively exploring new ways of working to address areas of disadvantage and ensure that rural children and families have equitable access to childcare services. The 20 projects being supported, throughout the north, bring forward new and innovative ideas and best practice projects. It is my hope that the evidence and outcomes from these projects will further inform and influence the future direction and delivery of childcare services in rural areas.”

Commending the ARC Healthy Living Centre on their innovative approach, which focuses mainly on the issue of sustainability, the Minister continued: “Sustainability is a key issue for all rural initiatives and businesses in particular. Through bringing together not-for-profit childcare providers in rural areas of Fermanagh, the ‘Shared Services Added Value Initiative’ provides great scope for examining how groups can work better and more efficiently , together, as opposed to single-handedly, unaided and in isolation.

“I would encourage non-profit/voluntary groups in Fermanagh to come on board and get involved in the project which has the potential to sustain local, rural childcare services in the future.”

Notes to editors:

1. In July 2007 Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Michelle Gildernew established a Rural Childcare Stakeholder Group to produce a report on the issues related to childcare in rural areas. Following on from it’s recommendations, a Rural Childcare Programme was developed and opened for applications in from 03-30 June 2009.
2. Further information on the 20 funded projects is available on the DARD website.
3. All media enquiries to DARD Press Office, Tel: 028 9052 4619. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Office via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.