To ask the Minister of Education to detail any discussions he has had with the Minister of Health concerning the impact on child health of the TinyStart programme.

The Department of Health has confirmed that they do not fund TinyLife to take forward the TinyStart programme. Therefore, I have had no discussions with the Minister for Health on the impact of the programme. However, as a condition of receiving funding TinyLife are required to monitor and assess their programme with quarterly and annual reports submitted to my Department for review against objectives.

The Budgets for 2026/27 have not yet been set by the Executive. I am therefore not presently in a position to provide any commitments or timescales to funding. On that basis, no formal assessments or discussions of the impacts on children and families of any potential reduction or withdrawal of funding for the TinyStart programme has been undertaken at this stage.

Any decision regarding future funding will be considered in the context of my Department’s 2026/27 budget allocation, the allocation of earmarked funding for the Executive Early Learning and Childcare Strategy and wider financial pressures.