AQW 23559/22-27

Mrs Michelle Guy
Alliance Party
Lagan Valley

Tabled Date: 27/02/2025
Answered On Date: 06/03/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education, pursuant to AQW 23262/22-27, why Access NI checks have not been completed for statutory youth workers.

Answer:

The Education Authority (EA) has advised that the youth workers in question were engaged through the temporary engagement process to ensure that safe staffing levels were maintained in youth centres. In these circumstances it was not possible to complete the Access NI check prior to engagement. However, the EA has confirmed that these individuals have been working in a supervised capacity only, while their checks are in progress.

I have asked the EA Chief Executive to urgently review the Access NI process. As a result, I have been assured that the EA is taking robust action to ensure that the issue of outstanding checks is addressed.