AQW 27786/22-27

Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 28/05/2025
Answered On Date: 10/06/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education, pursuant to AQW 26997/22-27, to outline whether there are any strands of work in the Early Learning and Childcare Strategy to deliver support for Children Looked After in pre-school settings.

Answer:

Any expansion to nursery and pre-school school settings of the Children Looked After Advisory Service provided through the Education Authority currently, will be subject to the findings of the evaluation of this service, which is planned for the 2025/26 academic year.

Officials from across the relevant policy areas are liaising to ensure that the additional support needs of children looked after in pre-school setting are included within the comprehensive Early Learning and Childcare Strategy.

While the Strategy will set out an ambitious plan for the longer-term. It will be for the Executive to decide on the level of funding it is prepared to allocate to this.