AQW 45844/22-27

Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 08/05/2026
Answered On Date: 02/06/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail any funding his Department provided for supporting victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, in the 2025-26 financial year.

Answer:

Each Health and Social Care Trust holds statutory responsibility for providing a range and level of social services appropriate to Children in Need as defined under Article 17 of The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995. Each Health and Social Care Trust utilises a range of services to support victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.

In addition to existing services and support provided by Trusts, in 2025/26, my Department also had contracted services in place with the Voluntary & Community sector. This included specific Therapeutic Support for Children and Young People who are potentially vulnerable to Child Sexual Exploitation through Barnardo’s.

Nexus NI were also contracted to provide counselling services to adult victims and survivors of sexual abuse and violence.

My Department also supported the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) through the Department of Health’s Core Grant in 2025/26. Although this Grant does not specifically procure a Therapeutic Service, it does support the NSPCC to deliver their services which includes Therapeutic Support.