Childcare Subvention Scheme: One Family Welcomes Minister’s Response to Call for Review

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One Family, the leading provider of specialist support services for one-parent families in Ireland welcomes Minister for Children Brendan Smith’s announcement of changes to the proposed Childcare Subvention Scheme today (7 November).
Candy Murphy, Policy Manager, One Family said: “We are very pleased with the Minister’s response to One Family’s concerns that the proposed new Scheme would only provide subsidised childcare for those on social welfare and at a much reduced rate for those eligible for FIS. We very much welcome Mr. Smith’s introduction of an income threshold as the basis for assessing eligibility for the Scheme and for supporting parents on low incomes.”
However, One Family remains uncertain that the needs of lone parents will be adequately met by the Scheme, particularly for lone parents transitioning from social welfare to employment. One Family today asked Minister Smith to ensure  that the chosen income level actually makes work pay for one-parent families  encouraged the Minister to develop Ireland’s childcare policy in a way that ensures that transition periods do not create situations where parents are worse off financially than they were on social welfare.
One Family continues to work closely with the relevant Government departments to ensure that government policies aimed at encouraging lone parents to enter and progress within the labour market will have a positive effect on the lives of those parents and their families.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Catherine Joyce, Communications Manager 01 664 0125/ 086 343 2542
Candy Murphy, Policy Manager, 01 662 9212/ 087 293 3180

Childcare Subvention Scheme: Lone Parents Trapped Again

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One Family, the leading provider of specialist support services for one-parent families in Ireland today (6 November) added its voice to the concerns being expressed from many quarters on the Government’s plan to introduce the Childcare Subvention Scheme.

Candy Murphy, Policy Manager, One Family said: “The Childcare Subvention Scheme contradicts Government’s proposed changes to the social welfare system, which focus on getting people back to education and employment. The Subvention Scheme will create the opposite situation; where parents on social welfare will be less likely to move into work for fear of losing income and being left with unmanageable childcare costs.”
Ms. Murphy continued: “This Scheme will exacerbate the challenges for lone parents trying to move away from social welfare and access meaningful and sustainable employment. Research shows that one-parent families face very significant difficulties in making the transition from social welfare to work, including rising childcare costs.  Government’s plans to assist parents in overcoming these difficulties are wholly undermined by the proposed Scheme, which needs to be seriously rethought. One Family calls on the Government to support lone parents in the transition from social welfare to work and not to create further barriers for such families.”
One Family provides a range of services to one-parent families including courses assisting parents back into education and employment.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Catherine Joyce, Communications Manager 01 664 0125/ 086 343 2542
Candy Murphy, Policy Manager, 01 662 9212/ 087 293 3180