AQW 42505/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Education
To ask the Minister of Education whether any assessment has been carried out of the sustainability of the TinyStart service.
Asked by Paula Bradshaw MLA on 13 March 2026
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 13 March 2026
- Answer due by
- 31 March 2026
- Answered
- 2 April 202620 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Education
- Priority question
- No
Answer
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.