Early years sector facing ‘devastating’ funding cuts in Tyrone

EARLY learning facilities across Tyrone will face a cliff edge next month, when looming funding cuts will mean the axe falling on dozens of projects that have made a huge difference to the lives of thousands of local children.

Since its inception in 2016, the Department of Education’s Pathway Fund has invested £13.5m in early learning services across the North, including £600,000 for facilities in the local area. But this vital fund is due to finish at the end of this June, dealing a crushing blow to 30 projects and more than 10,000 youngsters.

Last Wednesday evening, First Steps Children’s Centre in the village of Killen, outside Castlederg, hosted a public meeting calling for the Pathway Fund to be saved. It was attended by representatives from the early years sector from across the county, as well as local MLAs and councillors.

DISTRAUGHT

Dolores Crowe, First Steps manager, said she had been left distraught.

“First Steps has been my baby and to see us losing the funding, it’s absolutely devastating. First Steps really depends on the Pathway Fund and once it stops, 40 children will be affected by the necessary cuts we need to make as well as a number of staff.

“Our staff are excellent; we’re just like a huge family, and everyone works tirelessly to provide the best care we can for the children in our care. I have been asked whether parents will pay to keep the services funded by Pathway going, my answer is ‘parents can’t afford to; everything is going up in price and what we would need to charge, it wouldn’t be worth their while.’

“During the pandemic our staff, and many up and down the country, stayed open for essential workers, putting ourselves at great risk.

“Now that we’re out the other side of that, to be essentially told ‘you’re no longer needed’ is a huge slap in the face.”

Heather Morrison, First Steps deputy manager, said, “The programme prepares children for pre-school and, when you see how well-equipped it is for children to help with speech and language, social skills and physical attributes, is heartbreaking to think we may have to lose it.”

Gary Mortland, Community Development manager in Fermanagh and Omagh Council, warned of the impact on the entire early years sector.

‘NO PLAN’

He said, “We need an indication on what kind of budget will be available going forward. Come the end of June, groups like yours are at a cliff edge with seemingly no plan. We need the Department of Education to release a budget before then so funds like this can continue.”

Rebecca Doherty, staff member at First Steps and mother, spoke emotively and passionately about the plight.

“We have done nothing wrong,” she said.

“Everyone involved in First Steps have put our love for the job first in order to help the children and parents. We continued to provide the highest standard of care despite what it might mean for the health of our families. Losing funding from Pathway would have a disastrous effect for the children’s future and, I’m not afraid to say, my own.

“I love this job and I’m honoured to be working here. I work hard to ensure myself and my colleagues provide the best care possible; we need to do whatever we can to ensure the programme stays.”

Testimonies from parents were also read out, praising the work done by staff in assisting children with the essential skills needed to deal with the challenges faced and lamenting that others may not have the ability to witness these benefits due to the cuts.

Also voicing concerns were Mairead McCaughey, from Playtime in Eskra, and Belinda Moffitt, from McClintock Pre-School Centre in Seskinore.

Mairead said, “It will have a devastating knock-on effect as parents are forced to drop out of work in order to look after children as they cannot afford childcare which was previously provided by the fund.

“Pressure needs put on the Secretary of State and the Permanent Secretary.”

Audrey Rainey, director of services at Early Years, has issued a stark warning on the Pathway Fund’s essential nature.

‘LEFT IN LIMBO’

She said, “The position is clear; after June 187 projects will cease to be funded.

“We fought hard to secure two years of funding in order to provide sustainability; little did we know it would all be going to waste.

“After June, between ten and 12,000 children and staff will be left in limbo through no fault of their own. In terms of funding, nothing comes remotely close to the provision afforded by the Pathway Fund.

“Let’s bring this forward to the people who need to hear about it as we don’t want another generation who didn’t reach full potential; the time for investment is now.”