To ask the Minister of Health to detail (i) when a mental health wellbeing intervention service in primary schools will be delivered; and (ii) how a mental wellbeing intervention service in primary schools will be funded.

There is not a single, standalone mental health wellbeing intervention service in primary schools; instead, mental health and wellbeing support is delivered on an ongoing basis throughout the academic year through a suite of jointly funded early intervention, targeted and wholeschool programmes developed with the Department of Education under the Children and Young People’s Emotional Health and Wellbeing in Education Framework. These interventions are embedded within established joint Health and Education planning arrangements. During the 2024/25 academic year, almost 50% of the approximately 1,100 education settings across Northern Ireland engaged with at least one Frameworkfunded programme, demonstrating significant and ongoing demand, including within the primary sector.

A key health-led project under the Framework targeting primary schools is the Regional Integrated Support for Education (RISE) service at Key Stage 1, delivered up to and including Primary 4. RISE NI is a PHA-led, multi-professional and transdisciplinary service providing holistic support to all mainstream preschool and primary school settings at Key Stage 1. It brings together Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Psychology, and Social, Emotional and Behavioural expertise to deliver universal, targeted and specialist interventions for children, families and schools. Delivery is supported by integrated working between schools, Health and Social Care Trusts, the Education Authority and the Public Health Agency.

Investment from the Department for Education and the Department of Health in 25/26 for the Framework is £4.98m (£3.48m DE and £1.5m DoH). Both departments intend to continue to invest in the joint Framework, as far as budgets will allow.

An Independent Review of the effectiveness of the Framework has been commissioned which will underpin future decisions on mental health wellbeing service development in schools and future funding arrangements.