Joint inquiry on Government’s Child Poverty Strategy
The Education and Work and Pensions Committees launched a new inquiry investigating how the Government’s new Child Poverty Strategy can meet its aims.
The new inquiry will examine the Strategy’s ambition and potential impact and consider which policy measures could help the Government achieve its goal of reducing childhood poverty levels.
MPs will also consider how the Government should work with the UK’s devolved governments to set targets and assess the success of the Strategy, in order to secure its long-term success.
Siobhán has prepared a draft Consortium response to this Inquiry which has been sent out to Consortium members for comment and will be submitted by the closing date. The Consortium response has focused on the situation in Northern Ireland and the divergence in policies that seek to help families on low incomes such as increased help with free school meals.
Details about the Inquiry are available here and it closes on 6th March 2026:
NI Executive Disability Strategy 2025-2035
The Northern Ireland Executive Disability Strategy 2025-2035 aims to improve the lives of people who are Deaf and disabled people, their families and carers so that they can play a full and active role in all aspects of society.
There have been some issues around this consultation with some of the disability sector unhappy with the process and what is contained in the draft. An open letter to NI Executive Ministers on the problems with the draft Disability Strategy has been prepared and is open for signatures. You can read, sign and share the open letter here:
The Strategy is currently open for consultation and closes on 20th March 2026. Siobhán will prepare a brief response to this consultation please get in touch at policy@wsn.org.uk if you wish to contribute. The consultation is available to read on the Department for Communities website here:
NI Executive Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Strategy
The draft ELC Strategy is the Executive’s draft plan for more affordable, accessible, high-quality early learning and childcare.
The draft strategy builds on work already undertaken to enhance early learning and childcare provision in Northern Ireland and seeks to consolidate and expand on this. The strategy is structured around three core themes:
Supporting Children in Their Early Years
This theme focuses on what the Strategy will deliver for children. It concentrates on improving ELC experiences through expansion and enhancement of provision, the promotion of high-quality ELC environments and targeted support for those facing disadvantage and those with additional needs.
Supporting Families with their Children’s ELC Costs
This theme focuses on what the Strategy will do for families and carers. It seeks to make childcare more affordable and ensure better availability and accessibility of support and information, empowering parents to make the best choices for themselves and their family.
Supporting the Early Years Sector and Workforce
This theme sets out the vital role of the ELC sector and workforce in delivering change. It focuses on improving sustainability and building capacity, while promoting fair pay and professional recognition.
Women’s Support Network and the Women’s Resource and Development Agency in partnership with Atlas Women’s Centre have held a discussion event on the content of the draft Strategy and this will be used to inform our consultation responses. The Childcare for All Coalition have also prepared a really useful guide to responding to the draft Strategy which is available here: https://www.wrda.net/childcare-for-all
The draft ELC Strategy is open for consultation until 24th March 2026. Siobhán is working on the Consortium response to this consultation, please contact her at policy@wsn.org.uk if you wish to contribute. The consultation is available to read on the Department of Education’s website here:
https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/consultations/consultation-draft-executive-elc-strategy
Consultation on Notice to Quit Periods
The Department for Communities are consulting the ‘Exceptions to longer ‘notice to quit’ periods in Northern Ireland.
Article 14 of the Private Tenancies (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 (as amended by Section 11 of the Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022) sets out longer notice to quit periods that a landlord must give to a tenant. The increased notice to quit periods are as follows:
- 8 weeks, if the tenancy has not been in existence for more than 12 months;
- 4 months, if the tenancy has been in existence for more than 12 months but not for more than 3 years;
- 6 months, if the tenancy has been in existence for more than 3 years but not for more than 8 years; and
- 7 months, if the tenancy has been in existence for more than 8 years.
There are four circumstances in which a landlord can give a shorter notice period than those set out above. The Regulations refer to these shorter notice periods as special case notice periods. These circumstances and associated notice periods are set out in the table below:
The consultation closes on 29th March 2026. Siobhán will prepare a short letter response to this consultation please get in touch at policy@wsn.org.uk if you wish to contribute. The consultation is available to read on the Department for Communities website here:
https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/consultations/consultation-notice-quit-periods
