To ask the Minister of Education to detail any work underway to achieve the recommendation in A Strategic Review of the Northern Ireland Curriculum, to recognise the changing levels of development of children arriving in pre-school and school and address this through targeted funding to pre-school and foundation stage settings to pay for evidence-based interventions through higher staff pupil ratios, professional development and/or para-professionals.

I have included in the draft Early Learning and Childcare Strategy a range of proposed actions to support children and early years settings. This includes a commitment to introduce an integrated Early Years Curriculum Framework for children aged 0–6 that provides a learning continuum for children below compulsory school age and through the transition to formal education.

This action flowed from a recommendation contained in the Strategic Review of the Northern Ireland Curriculum and was also raised by key early learning and childcare stakeholders during the strategy development process. It also includes actions in relation to the expansion of services for children facing disadvantage through my Department’s Sure Start Programme and Pathway Fund, and the expansion of developmental provision for children aged 2–3 (in their pre-pre school year) as well as building the sustainability and capacity of the ELC sector and enhance the early years infrastructure through a skilled and valued workforce.

I also secured funding of £4.5m in 2025/26 from the ELC budget for the Pre-school Inclusion Fund to support DE funded pre-school education providers to meet the needs of children in their settings who have or may have special educational needs requiring early additional support. The Fund provides flexibility to those settings to secure additional staffing hours or specific training and/ or source external supports.

The draft Strategy was published for public consultation on 17th December 2025 and I welcome all comments on it. Decisions on the implementation and timing of the draft actions within the draft Strategy will largely depend on the outcome of public consultation and the availability of funding from the Northern Ireland Executive.