To ask the Minister of Education to detail whether he had any discussions with the Economy Minister in relation to the development of a childcare workforce strategy.

My officials continue to engage with their counterparts in the Department for the Economy, the Department of Health and the Department for Communities to develop actions to support the childcare workforce, through the Early learning and Childcare (ELC) Strategy Task and Finish Group and associated workforce subgroup.

I will bring forward a draft Strategy, which will include specific actions for the childcare workforce, to my Executive colleagues in the coming weeks with the aim of securing agreement for issue to public consultation.