Published Tuesday, 17 January 2012
The Education Minister outlined at the Assembly on Tuesday the criteria for getting a full-time place at nursery.
"The key change is that I'm going to remove the July-August birthday criteria, which is disadvantaging young children," said Minister John O'Dowd.
"It has been a demand for some time and recognised in a number of reports. I will use the first legislative opportunity to remove that."
Previously, children born in June were at a disadvantage as older boys and girls were given priority when it came to preschool places.
It is not yet clear whether two-year-old Lindon Lorimer McQuade will be given a full-time nursery place in September because he was born in June.
Lindon's mum, Amanda, said the changes are for the best.
"He is expected to go to school in the same year as children with a July and August birthday so I don't see why because he has a June birthday he should be at the end of that criteria," she said.
The Education Minister said added £1.25m to the £50m preschool education, which works out at around £150 for each of the 23,000 children in funded preschool.
Mr O'Dowd said he wanted to "broaden the social definition of disadvantage".
"I'm going to take in family tax credits etc. I also want to look at how we plan the provision of preschools because there are some concerns by parents while they're offered a place it's not near home or viable to go to so I'm also looking at those criteria as well," he said.
"It's good news for parents, for future years where there's greater clarity greater communication of how to get a preschool place," said Siobhan Fitzpatrick of Early Years.
"A removal of the priority for the older child to have priority so that all children in their preschool year will have a priority in their preschool place and to broaden the definition of social disadvantage to include parents not only those on benefits but those who might be working but on a low income," she added.
And while some of the actions in the review like the birthday rule are straightforward, the minister says other will need to be investigated before final decisions are taken.