An award-winning school travel programme that helps tackle carbon emissions in Northern Ireland has increased the proportion of children walking, wheeling and cycling to school, while reducing the numbers being driven – new figures have revealed. The Active School Travel Programme, run by sustainable transport charity Sustrans, has worked withRead More →
Children caught in the middle of family breakdown court battles at long-term risk from trauma while the process is costing the public almost £8.9m annually, says Family Mediation NI (FMNI) The charity has called for action from a multi-departmental approach to keeping family conflict out of the courtroom, where possible,Read More →
Education Minister, Michelle McIlveen announced an extension to the Covid-19 Childcare Temporary Closure Fund for the period 1 October to 31 December 2021. The fund will provide continued support for childcare providers who have been forced to close temporarily due to a Covid-related incident within their provision. Applications to the FundRead More →
Ahead of International Children’s Day tomorrow (20 November) organisations representing children and parents in Northern Ireland are calling on the NI Assembly to embrace a new opportunity to include children in a law which would protect them from physical punishment, and to increase support for parents. Koulla Yiasouma, NI Commissioner forRead More →
Education Minister Michelle McIlveen has announced a further £5million for the Education Wellbeing funding allocation. Through this fund education settings will be given flexibility in how they support the emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people and the staff working with them. Michelle McIlveen set out details ofRead More →
This Christmas the Lyric Theatre is packed with a range of festive shows suitable for everyone. From families, fun nights out and even Christmas work parties with a difference. Enjoy a magical family treat with “Pinocchio The Greatest Wonder of the Age” from 26 Nov-31 Dec and a brand new festiveRead More →
Embrace everything magical about Christmas days with the Belfast One ‘Wish Upon a Christmas Star’ trail, 20 November – 23 December. This free, family friendly trail will take kids and adults safely around Belfast City Centre collecting clues based on fairy tale favourites. Answer all questions correctly to be inRead More →
Anti-Bullying Week 21, which runs from November 15-19, is back with a bang, featuring a busier schedule than ever before and a brand new award for influential local school teachers and staff who have helped stamp out bullying. The event, which is in its 16th year, will have the runningRead More →
One in four children in Northern Ireland are set to be in poverty by 2024/25, according to new analysis published today (Thursday) by Save the Children Northern Ireland and Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG). Families are facing a spiralling cost of living, a challenging labour market, a weakened social safety net, and a widening income gap, according to the new research. AnalysisRead More →
Education Minister Michelle McIlveen has launched a new app for schools to safeguard children and young people when online. The Safer Schools NI app is a one-stop-shop digital library of age-appropriate safeguarding resources for teachers, parents/carers and children and young people. The app, designed and created by online safeguarding experts,Read More →
Education Minister Michelle McIlveen has announced a further £0.5million funding to support Outdoor Education Centres. This new investment will provide financial assistance to centres as they continue to be impacted by the operating restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Welcoming the funding, the Minister said: “Today’s announcement of £0.5m will supportRead More →
A recent survey has found that 36% (365) of young people have experienced exclusion from a school activity for not wearing the correct school uniform and a total of 75% (757) of young people have been disciplined in school for a uniform infringement. The online survey, which was a collaborationRead More →