To ask the Minister of Education to detail how the Education Welfare Service informs eligible families that they can be supported with transport for displaced pupils.

The Education Authority (EA) has advised me that its Education Welfare Service advises parents about their children’s eligibility for transport when they are referred to the service, which is assessed in line with the Department of Education’s (DE) Transport policy.

The DE transport policy outlines the criteria which the EA must use to determine eligibility criteria for transport assistance; however, the policy acknowledges that the application of the criteria in the general transport policy may not always be appropriate. This enables the EA to consider cases where transport may need to be provided in exceptional circumstances, which can include where a family is forced to relocate to a temporary address at short notice for reasons beyond their control.