AQW 40714/22-27

Mrs Michelle Guy
Alliance Party
Lagan Valley

Tabled Date: 16/02/2026
Answered On Date: 26/02/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education, pursuant to AQW 39515/22-27, to detail a breakdown of the type of support requested from the Child Protection Support Service.

Answer:

The Education Authority advises that the support required in each Helpline call varies accordingly to the level of risk and the specific circumstances of each child, family, and school. Each call is triaged by the receiving Designated Officer (DO), who assesses the concern and identifies the appropriate next steps.

Support may include advising on immediate safeguarding actions, determining whether referrals to statutory agencies are necessary, guiding schools through referral processes, escalating practice issues to external partners, and advising on relevant lines of enquiry with children, parents, staff or other parties.

Through the helpline, DOs also support school safeguarding teams to ensure their practice is aligned to legislation, Department of Education Circulars, and policy. They frequently provide mentoring, coaching, and emotional support to safeguarding staff, recognising the pressures and potential for vicarious trauma associated with the role.