To ask the Minister of Education to detail the number of schools with school crossing patrols, in each of the last five years.

The Education Authority (EA) is responsible for the operation of the School Crossing Patrol (SCP) scheme and for the employment of SCP officers. It has advised that schools should contact their local EA transport office to discuss options to cover a vacant SCP post on a temporary basis.

It is important that even where a school has identified an individual who could fill an SCP role on a temporary basis, they must first seek EA advice and approval. For an individual to be legally permitted to stop traffic under the SCP scheme, they must be appointed by the EA as an SCP and must be operating at an EA approved location with the statutory uniform and signage. An individual attempting to stop traffic without EA authority is not covered or indemnified by the EA for any legal consequences arising from unauthorised schoolcrossing activities and may be committing an offence.

The EA has advised that it currently employs 345 SCPs and has provided information below detailing the number of SCPs employed in each of the last five financial years.