To ask the Minister of Education to detail the involvement his Department has had in the development and implementation of the cross-departmental Collaboration Strategic Framework in light of the Children’s Services Co-Operation Act (Northern Ireland) 2015.

The Department of Education has been involved in the development of a Collaboration Strategic Framework along with many other NICS Departments since Spring 2022. That work is being jointly led by The Executive Office and the Department for Communities.

The issues of pooled funding, more efficient ways of working and prioritising the needs of children and young people have been part of the discussions to date.