Children’s Services Co-operation Act (Northern Ireland) 2015

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Education – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 2:00 pm on 25 June 2024.

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Photo of Paul Givan Paul Givan DUP 2:00, 25 June 2024

When we publish the report, I will certainly welcome feedback on its findings. There are examples of good practice where Departments are collaborating. There are also examples of where we should be doing things better.

Let us focus on the things that we have been able to do, because legislation should not be required for Departments to work collaboratively. We should be doing that, and we are. I can give some examples: the early learning and childcare strategy that was agreed by the Executive, which involves nearly all Departments and for which the Executive have approved £25 million; the RAISE programme, for which we again secured funding and which will have various Departments on its teams; and the THRiVE scheme, which involves voluntary, community and local government agencies. We work together in collaboration. Legislation should not be needed for Departments to do that, and I have given examples of where we did not need it to work together, but it can be a useful tool to underpin some of the services that the public expect us to provide.