To ask the Minister of Education for his assessment of the findings of the Northern Ireland Audit Office Report on Child Poverty in Northern Ireland, published on 12 March 2024.

The Child Poverty Strategy is led by the Department for Communities and consequently it will be for that Department to comment fully on the NIAO reports findings.

In terms of the key points mentioned within the report, I would concur with the sentiment that early intervention / preventative measures are an important part of the range of policies needed to reduce child poverty of which Sure Start and a Childcare strategy are two critical parts which require significant and ongoing investment.

The report is also critical of the lack of joined up government. Close collaboration between government departments is mutually beneficial. Work is on-going across all nine Departments on a “Test and Learn” programme which has been endorsed by the NICS Board and which is designed to encourage greater collaboration across government, local government and the voluntary and community sector. This programme is jointly led by the Executive Office and the Department for Communities.