AQW 3067/22-27

Mr David Honeyford
Alliance Party
Lagan Valley

Tabled Date: 08/09/2022
Answered On Date: 27/09/2022
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education what tailored catch-up support is available to deaf and hard-of-hearing children, following the disruption to education caused by the pandemic.

Answer:

The Education Authority (EA) has advised that schools are able to access support for deaf children and young people via the EA Sensory Service, where their needs will be assessed in relation to lost learning or access to the curriculum, with appropriate support provided, where required.

Alongside existing EA pupil support services, the Department has supported the education sector directly since September 2020, through the Engage Programme, to limit any long-term impact of the disruption caused by the pandemic. This programme of additional funding is to support pupils in relation to their learning and engagement, along with their social, emotional and mental health and wellbeing.

Engage provides funding for settings, including all special schools, so that they can provide tailored support for individual pupils and small groups of pupils that they assess as being most in need of additional support following the pandemic.

Feedback from settings on the Engage programme’s achievements during its first two years continues to be very positive and I decided that its work in supporting those most in need should continue for a third academic year. I issued a Direction to officials to fund the Engage III programme from September 2022 until the end of December 2022 with a budget of £10m in the first instance. I intend that the programme will continue during the remainder of the 2022/23 academic year subject to further funding being available.