AQW 17559/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Education
To ask the Minister of Education for his assessment of the need to re-establish the Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying Forum.
Asked by Michelle Guy MLA on 4 November 2024
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 4 November 2024
- Answer due by
- 19 November 2024
- Answered
- 8 November 20244 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Education
- Priority question
- No
Answer
The Addressing Bullying in Schools Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 came into effect in September 2021. The Department determined that more specific support should be provided to schools and educational settings to support implementation of the Act and the Addressing Bullying in Schools Implementation Team (ABSIT) was therefore established within the Education Authority (EA) in September 2022.
Given that some of the Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying Forum’s (NIABF) activities duplicated the work of the EA’s Primary and Post Primary Behaviour Support and Provisions, including that of ABSIT, the Department decided to cease funding to NIABF from 31 March 2023 to ensure that there was no double funding.