To ask the Minister of Health to detail any actions that are being taken to ensure special school summer schemes can go ahead this year.

I have tasked the Chief Nursing Officer to meet with the five regional HSC Trust nursing leaders to develop plans to meet the Education Authority’s request for a registered nurse to be present on each site to ensure the summer schemes in Special Schools can proceed this year. Some key data has been requested from EA to enable the HSC to fulfil this request and we await receipt.

Whilst extremely challenging, my Department is committed to making every effort to source the identified additional nursing cover, involving appropriate staff with the right skills and knowledge including the appropriate children’s safeguarding training.