To ask the Minister of Education (i) for an update on the progress of the last tranche of nurture units; and (ii) when he will roll out a comprehensive whole school nurture approach, including for post-primary schools.

All 16 of the Nurture Groups established in 2022 under the Fair Start Action Plan are delivering Nurture with the support of funding from the Department of Education. The building works have been completed for the Nurture rooms in ten of these schools. In terms of the six remaining Nurture rooms: one has a number of minor building works to be resolved; one has planning permission granted with tender documents being finalised by the Education Authority (EA); and four are awaiting planning permission.

The Department also funds the Nurture Advisory and Support Service (NASS) within the EA. All 16 of the schools concerned have received advice, support and training from NASS.

As well as providing direct support to Nurture Groups, NASS also and delivers the Nurture in Education Programme (NEP). The NEP is an early intervention and preventative framework that embeds a whole school nurturing approach and ethos within schools. Since 2018, 578 schools and EOTAS provisions engaged in the NEP, including 62 post primary schools.

The Department is currently taking forward work to inform the development of options for its future long term approach to supporting Nurture provision. This work will include consideration of Nurture provision in post primary.