AQW 24350/17-22

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 15/10/2021
Answered On Date: 03/11/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education whether her Department is looking at the cost of adaptions for special educational need pupils' uniforms as part of the review of the school uniform grant.

Answer:

The school uniform grant provides a financial contribution towards the cost of school uniforms for low income families with children in primary, postprimary and special schools (not nursery). It is not designed to cover the cost of an entire uniform.

Work has begun within the Department on a review of the free school meals (FSM) and uniform grant eligibility criteria. The review will, among other issues, identify and develop the options for eligibility for Uniform Grants and consider the current rate of Uniform Grant as a contribution to the actual cost of uniforms.

As part of this review, a wide range of stakeholders will be consulted and issues, such as the one you have described, will be considered.