To ask the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister what action has been taken to date by the Department to clarify departmental responsibility for school age childcare.

The provision of childcare has long been a fragmented and complex issue with no clear departmental lead. This has ultimately resulted in the position we now find ourselves in. However, Executive commitment to reviewing and improving the provision here is clearly demonstrated by the work being taken forward through the Ministerial Sub-Committee on Children and Young People.

The Ministerial Sub-Committee identified childcare as an urgent priority and members of the child poverty sub-group have expressed the need to look at the issue of departmental responsibility for childcare as part of their work. That sub-group has undertaken an exercise to produce a report considering the potential for increasing childcare provision.

The report includes a chapter on strategic options, which indentifies a number of strategic options for delivering childcare policy. A special meeting involving relevant Ministers will shortly be convened to consider the recommendations in the report.