To ask the Minister of Education for his assessment of whether a reduction in industrial action in schools by teachers has influenced Targeting Social Need planner completion rates.

There has been a small but encouraging increase in the completion of Targeting Social Need planners since industrial action by teachers ended on 9 April 2024.

The agreement reached between the Department and the Northern Ireland Teaching Council was that no retrospective work would be asked of schools. This has had an impact on completion rates this year.

A completion rate of 17.5% as at 12 June 2024, means we are able to report on how 100,000 pupils have been supported with more than £15 million of investment.