AQW 13757/17-22

Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim

Tabled Date: 29/01/2021
Answered On Date: 04/02/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education what resources have been provided to teaching and other staff to provide support and reduce anxiety for children and young people who have had examinations cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer:

The emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people continues to be a high priority for the Department of Education (DE). I do not underestimate the challenges facing children and schools as they endeavour to support them, through their pastoral care and safeguarding protocols, often going above and beyond what is expected of them, and can appreciate they cannot be expected to do this alone.

My Department continues to work collaboratively with the Department of Health, the Public Health Agency, the Health and Social Care Board, the Education Authority and other Government Departments to develop a Framework for Children & Young People’s Emotional Health and Wellbeing in Education.

The Department appreciates that the Covid-19 crisis creates an added dimension to emotional health and emotional wellbeing, and through the wellbeing element of the Department’s Education Restart Programme I will ensure that Principals, Leaders and staff in educational settings have information, resources and support that enables them to achieve a culture of positive health and wellbeing that contributes to positive outcomes for children and young people returning to schools and youth settings in the new academic year.