AQO 3363/22-27


Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford


Tabled Date: 12/03/2026
Answered On Date: 26/03/2026
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to outline the practical changes as to how children and young people will access emotional health and wellbeing support as a result of the proposed Children’s and Young People’s Emotional Health and Wellbeing Framework.


Answer:
The Children and Young People’s Emotional Health and Wellbeing Framework will deliver clear, practical improvements to how young people access support.
Consultation feedback, including from more than 120 young people, highlighted inconsistent pathways, long waits and support arriving only at crisis point.
A central change is the move towards a needsled, relational and traumainformed model. Young people told us that being listened to and respected mattered as much as being seen quickly. The Framework therefore prioritises personalised, contextaware support delivered by trained staff who can focus on the whole child, including family and community influences.
Crucially, the Framework endorses a significant shift away from single, diagnostically led pathways for conditions such as autism or ADHD pathways that have varied considerably across Trusts. Instead, referrals will move into an inclusive, needsled neurodevelopmental pathway that responds to presenting needs rather than diagnosis as the entry point.
Regionally consistent pathways will make access more predictable and reduce the postcode variation frequently raised during consultation. This will create a more consistent and equitable system across Northern Ireland that will ensure children receive help earlier, without waiting for a diagnostic process to begin.
Strengthening early intervention in settings such as schools, youth services and community organisations means young people can access support sooner and from trusted adults.
The Framework also promotes enhanced participation, ensuring children and young people are actively involved in decisions about their care. It places a strong emphasis on equity, with specific measures for young carers, neurodivergent children, disabled young people, careexperienced young people and others who face additional barriers.