AQW 19716/22-27

Ms Kate Nicholl
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 11/12/2024
Answered On Date: 31/12/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the budget allocated to Equine Assisted Therapy and Learning by (i) his Department; and (ii) each Health and Social Care Trust in the 2024-25 financial year.

Answer:

(i) The budget allocated by the Department for Equine Assisted Therapy and Learning in the 2024-25 financial year is £30,000. This is to cover the costs associated with pilot programmes and their evaluation.

(ii) The budget allocation to each Health and Social Care Trust:

Western Trust – Equine Facilitated Learning for Early Help

The sum of £19,000 was allocated to the Western Trust to cover the costs of an Equine Facilitated Learning Programme. This has been designed as an ‘early help’ intervention with the aim of supporting families in this geographic Trust area who have been subject to violence and domestic abuse.