AQW 25228/17-22

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 04/11/2021
Answered On Date: 11/11/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health, in light of the recommendation in the Fair Start Report of the need to support premature babies and their families to have better outcomes, what discussions his officials have had with officials in the Department of Education to ensure that the implementation of services will deliver on this recommendation and go beyond current statutory provision.

Answer:

I want to acknowledge the extensive work carried out by the Expert Panel, and welcome their findings. I have met with the Education Minister and DE Officials to discuss the recommendations set out in the Fair Start report. I recognise the importance of early intervention and of supporting children and their families from birth, through those critical first years of life and their longer-term educational development.

I am pleased to note that our Chief Nursing Officers team have been involved both in sharing evidence with the Expert Panel, and in the work currently being progressed to deliver against the action contained in Key Area 1 of the report of the need to support premature babies and their families to have better outcomes.

I look forward in delivering on this recommendation in partnership with DE Officials.