To ask the Minister of Education, pursuant to AQW 22242/22-27, to detail the number of classroom assistants currently working in schools without an AccessNI check, broken down by those who have been working without a check for (i) more than one month; (ii) more than six months; and (iii) more than twelve months.

When a school engages a temporary staff member, they are required to follow the guidance set out in DE Circular 2024/10, related to pre-employment and Access NI requirements and safer resourcing practices. This includes ensuring that non-vetted staff are supervised by someone who is vetted to work in regulated activity.

Where a staff member has not submitted the paperwork needed by Access NI, the Education Authority (EA) engages with the school Principal to remind them of the requirement to have this completed. Despite protracted communication between the EA and the employee/school, the documentation required to undertake the check can remain outstanding for a prolonged period. The table below details the number of classroom assistants without an Access NI check, broken down by the length of time the check has been outstanding.

1 Figures as at 19 February 2025

I have asked the EA Chief Executive to urgently review the Access NI process within schools and the EA. As a result, I have been assured that the EA is taking robust action to ensure that the issue of outstanding checks is addressed.