Northern Ireland has the worst childcare provision in western Europe, it was claimed yesterday.
Lone parents struggling with poverty are unable to take a job because of the shortage of minding facilities, the Gingerbread charity said. Up to 30,000 new childcare places are needed and 10,000 extra jobs for those willing to work should be provided, the charity's director, Marie Cavanagh, told an Assembly inquiry into child poverty.
Speaking afterwards, she said: "The cost to the economy is the high levels of child poverty, the high dependence on child benefits. We need better incentives for the development of childcare places."
There are 92,000 lone-parent households with 150,000 children, over 70 per cent of whom are living in poverty. Proper heating, diet and play opportunities can all suffer in deprived households.
An interim report by the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister's scrutiny committee yesterday found there were over 100,000 children affected by deprivation, 44,000 severely.
The committee was hearing evidence as part of its inquiry.
Ms Cavanagh added: "Northern Ireland has the lowest childcare provision ratio in western Europe, fewer than eight places per 1,000 for children aged under four. The government needs to take the initiative if we compare ourselves to the Scandinavian model of almost universality, poverty is reduced and you have 70 per cent of lone parents working." She added that in the last 15 years, availability had barely risen.
The draft Programme For Government aims to eliminate child poverty by 2020, with severe cases gone by 2012.
Sinn Féin committee member Martina Anderson said: "I think it is unacceptable that in the 21st century we are hearing evidence from yourselves about child poverty in this society. It is a scandal."
The committee aims to conclude its inquiry by early spring. Among its recommendations, the committee proposed that the First and Deputy First Minister should should "ensure the robustness of departmental targets and actions designed to contribute to the achievement of a better future, including measures which are highlighted as contributing to reductions in child poverty."
There was almost universal support among organisations for investment to deliver a major increase in the availability of affordable housing.
The report added: "The committee is very concerned at the increasing impact on low-income families of the shortfall that exists between housing benefit and the rent being charged in the private rented sector." The committee said it recognised the importance of minimising the impact of rates and water charges for those on low incomes.
- (PA)