Childcare: Northern Ireland parents speak out about rising costs

Melted Parents NI, co-founded by Becca Harper (R), held its first meet-up in Belfast on Saturday

Rising childcare costs amid a cost-of-living crisis has prompted some parents in Northern Ireland to call for financial support.

Melted Parents NI is asking for childcare reform to be a "day-one priority" when Stormont returns.

The campaign group held its first event in Belfast on Saturday.

"Families are really struggling, childcare is extortionate and it's got to the point we're saying 'enough is enough'," said co-founder Becca Harper.

"If we had a second child I'd would have to consider leaving work because of my childcare bill."

The group was formed earlier this year in response to the chancellor's spring statement which announced plans to offer 30 hours of free childcare for some families in England.

Parents in Northern Ireland can apply for 12.5 hours of funded term-time pre-school education per week.

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"Families should be thriving in Northern Ireland but actually all they're doing at the moment is what they can do to survive," Ms Harper added.

Kathleen McCarthy, pictured with her children, said there is anxiety in choosing between working and having children

Melted Parents NI has a large following on social media with like-minded parents voicing their support for reform of the system.

Caroline Jones from Ballygowan and Kathleen McCarthy from Lisburn both travelled to Belfast to attend Saturday's event.

"There's an anxiety about having to choose between going to work and having children," Ms McCarthy said.

Caroline Jones has two young children in full-time childcare at a cost of £1,800 per month; government support sees this bill reduced by 20% but there are still financial pressures.

"If stay at home, then in five years time how will I get back into the workplace?" she said.

Naoise Muldoon said she hopes the group will "shine a light" on the pressures faced by families in Northern Ireland

Belfast-based Naoise Muldoon said she has also reconsidered expanding her family.

"I really, really want another baby... but then you just can't afford it, otherwise it's like two grand a month you're paying for childcare, and who can afford that?," she said.

Ms Muldoon and her partner recently re-mortgaged their home but they were initially turned down by the bank because of their childcare outgoings.

"They specifically outlined that," she said.

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The couple relocated to Northern Ireland from London and were "absolutely disgusted" to find they would not be entitled to the same subsidised childcare as English families.

"My partner just thinks Northern Ireland is a joke because of everything that goes on here."

Ms Muldoon said she hopes the campaign group will "shine a light" on the issue of childcare costs, adding: "It was an issue I didn't know existed until I had a child."

Louise Thompson said she picked her son's pre-school based on it's extracurricular provisions

Louise Thompson from Lisburn said there is a "constant struggle" to pay for childcare with "ridiculous" supports available in Northern Ireland.

She said her husband took a backwards career step solely to allow for flexible working and the couple chose their son's pre-school based on its after-school provisions.

"It's brilliant but as a parent I feel like - 'have I made those choices for the wrong reasons?' - rather than the academic record of the school. This is what has to work for us as a family, there's something wrong with that.

"As a society we're encouraging women to go back to work, to want to progress in their careers, but it's impossible because there's no [childcare] provision."