To ask the Minister of Health, pursuant to AQW 33447/22-27, to detail the number of special schools that have had the hours of Community Children's Nurse reduced, in the last two years.

The Community Children’s Nursing (CCN) service supports children and young people in special schools whose care cannot be delegated to Classroom Assistants. The hours are determined by the individual needs of each child. The recently published PHA Review has identified that the delivery model for the provision of this support varies from school to school across the entire region.

A change in the delivery model in the Knockevin Special School in Downpatrick has reduced the on-site presence of a Community Children’s Nurse to two half days per week; however, the service remains available to the School should there be any queries or concerns, outside of these hours.

All Special Education Needs (SEN) schools across Northern Ireland continue to have provision available to manage the identified healthcare needs of the pupils attending them.