Michelle Guy
Lagan Valley · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“It can be seen from those quotes that the issue impacts on girls in a real and practical way. If they feel too uncomfortable to be in school, it is impacting on their access to education. If they hold back in PE or while playing at break or lunch, what does that say to them about how we value exercise and sport?”
“Essentially, he was saying that we had to draw the line somewhere, and the automatic right of girls to be allowed to wear trousers is where that line has been drawn. <BR /> <BR />Some will play down the issue and say that it is relevant in only a small number of schools.”
“When I explain what the legislation would do, the reaction from people is almost always the same. They ask, "Are you seriously saying that, in 2026, girls can't wear trousers in school?". The answer is that they do not have that right.”
“The Assembly should support the Bill. I again ask the Minister to save us time by simply updating the statutory uniform guidelines. I find the DUP position of enabling the Bill to progress to Committee Stage while its Minister is against it to be quite bizarre.”
“<BR /> <BR />I question why that basic request from girls and young women is being denied or is deemed to be unimportant. Ultimately, it comes down to the fact that some people — mainly men — still want to control what women wear.”
“I take the Member's point. Ultimately, however, the person who could make the change is the Minister, and he has decided not to. Saying that schools have a choice or that they have autonomy does not absolve the Minister from his ultimately having responsibility to be able to make that change.”
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“It, along with others, was invited to join a task and finish group to collaborate with the Department of Education on the final policy. The RCN joined the group in good faith to work with the Department to get the statutory guidance right and to align it with existing practices in health settings. <BR /> <BR />It was concerning to hear, as reported in the media last week, that the RCN has reluctantly come to the conclusion that it must resign from the task group before it became associated with new statutory guidance that it believes that, at the group's conclusion, may not be human rights-compliant and therefore not, in its words:”
“I have a question for folks here: does anyone here remember Harry? Harry is an autistic boy who is non-verbal. He was found to have been unnecessarily restrained at school when he was just five years old. Harry is non-verbal so he could not tell his mum. She did not know what was happening, and the school had no duty to inform her. I am sure that Members can imagine what it would be like, as a parent, to find out that that had happened to your child without your knowledge. <BR /> <BR />Harry's mum, Deirdre Shakespeare, launched a campaign to deliver Harry's law, which was endorsed by political parties across the spectrum, by advocacy groups and even by celebrity Paris Hilton. When draft statutory guidance was finally issued in 2023, a number of groups, including the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), expressed concern about the draft.”
“Ultimately, what is best for children and families should be at the centre of the issue. The community and voluntary providers are often at the heart of communities, are staffed by local people and deserve to be treated with the same respect and on the same level as statutory providers. I hope that the Minister can outline the Department's long-term vision for preschool delivery in our community and voluntary settings and, in the short term, outline how we can ensure that those organisations are treated fairly.”
“<BR /> <BR />I am dealing with a charity-run preschool provider that has been in the local community for more than 40 years, delivering funded preschool places for more than 20 years. Its admission number for the coming year is based on the 2024 figure. It predicts that it could grow if given the chance. It notes that other local settings are already at full capacity and that more families are moving into the area, yet its logical and modest request for a small increase has been rejected. The reality is that local children will have to travel further for preschool places, and that will add to the costs for parents who can ill afford it. If that continues, the setting could become unviable. <BR /> <BR />As we heard, many people are in the same position across Northern Ireland, not just those in West Tyrone.”
“Many community and voluntary providers face additional challenges despite delivering the same preschool curriculum for our children. <BR /> <BR />When it comes to the published admission number allocations or simply the number of children whom they are funded to accept, the providers again appear to face additional challenges. In the experiences that I have heard about, the admission numbers for non-statutory settings can fluctuate significantly. That can be in response to low birth rates or changes in the local demographics, but it is incredibly hard, if not impossible, for those settings to plan every year. They have overheads and staff to pay, and they cannot continue to operate the way that they are if the admission numbers fluctuate significantly from year to year or if they cannot respond to local demand.”
“However, it notes the inconsistencies between the different providers in ratios, employment model, funding and admin support. It notes:”
“I thank the Member for securing the Adjournment debate. I have been contacted about the issue in my constituency of Lagan Valley, and, as we have heard today, it is impacting across the board. The independent review of education recognises that the preschool education programme is delivered by a mix of providers: statutory, community, voluntary and private. The review highlighted the fact that the mix delivers an approach that:”
“First Minister, thank you for your answer. Have you been presented with options for the MLK Development Corporation on a way forward, and have those been considered? What are the next steps?”
“Thank you to the Minister for the statement. I am happy to welcome anything that has the ambition of excellence for every child — that should be our focus. The strategy highlights the intention for all learners to remain in education and training until they are 18. For that to succeed for our young people, we need to ensure parity of esteem between academic and vocational qualifications. How will the Minister's plan deliver on that?”
“It is my understanding that there will be no formal consultation process. The voluntary and community organisations that provided expert advice during the workshops have not been kept up to date with the progress of the framework. <BR /> <BR />There is a lot to get reassurance and clarity on from the Minister. What is clear is how fundamental health visitors are — maybe more now than ever before — but the value that they bring through the early assessments can be realised only if they happen and happen consistently. We need reassurances from the Minister that there will be safeguards in place to ensure that the level of missed appointments noted in the motion never happens again, especially as the new Healthy Child, Healthy Future framework is produced.”
“The report specifically highlighted the importance of the reviews at one year and two and a half years from an early education perspective, noting that, while those reviews may be of lesser significance than earlier reviews from a health perspective, they are crucial in relation to cognitive development; for example, in relation to speech and language. In a similar vein, the independent review outlined just how vital health visitors are and recommended that the programme of assessing beyond six to nine months should be reviewed to ensure that cognitive development is properly tracked. <BR /> <BR />We have had little information about the development of the new Healthy Child, Healthy Future framework following the workshops with the voluntary and community sector that took place in 2022.”
“Those are all vital, let alone the issue of safeguarding, which I have already mentioned, and the role that health visitors play in ensuring that issues are prevented or reported. <BR /> <BR />Through our amendment, my party is keen to hear from the Minister about whether the new Healthy Child, Healthy Future framework, which has long been delayed, has taken on board the recommendations from the 'A Fair Start' report and the independent review of education. 'A Fair Start' noted:”
“When I asked about those missed year-1 reviews in a question for written answer, the Minister, in his response, noted the workforce challenges faced, in particular, by the Southern Trust, and that, for those who missed a review, an appropriate in-person review has now taken place. It clearly shows a system that is under great pressure. I do not know whether the impact of a delayed review can be clearly demonstrated. <BR /> <BR />The current Healthy Child, Healthy Future framework was produced in 2010 and is due to be replaced imminently. It notes that the year 1 review is to include an updated family health assessment, monitor the growth of the child, review speech and language development and promote oral and general health, including dental registration.”
“<BR /> <BR />Parenting can be incredibly difficult, especially for those who are struggling financially, those dealing with health issues or those who have little family support. Health visitors can guide and reassure parents. They are a source of trusted information on the daily challenges of parenthood. With social media and the huge amount of non-evidence-based advice that is going around, parents need those trusted sources more than ever. <BR /> <BR />Given how important the role is, I was extremely concerned when I read the latest Healthy Child, Healthy Future review statistics. They showed that only 59% of year 1 reviews were completed within the accepted time frame, and, as the motion references, 15% were not done at all. In the Southern Trust, 46% or over 2,000 year 1 reviews were recorded as not completed.”
“They play such a wide-ranging role, providing parental education and support, providing positive parenting advice and health advice, safeguarding, assessing development milestones and ensuring early identification of additional needs and interventions. They are there for the child, but they are, importantly, also there for the parents and carers. <BR /> <BR />There is a growing body of evidence that the first 1,000 days of a child's life, from conception to age two, are absolutely essential to their long-term outcomes. That is why the 'A Fair Start' report highlights the fact that the highest rate of return in terms of childhood development will come from investing as early as possible. That is crucial in reducing the educational attainment gap, which begins at a very young age and continues to widen.”
“<BR /> <BR />We reference two important, credible reports: the independent review of education and the Executive-endorsed 'A Fair Start'. Both highlight how crucial the health visitor role is in the educational outcomes of our children. I am sure that Members on the Health Committee share the frustration of those of us on the Education Committee about the sheer volume of evidence that shows how vital early intervention is but how relatively little it happens in practice. <BR /> <BR />Early years assessments provide a perfect opportunity for effective collaboration. Health visitors are one of the clearest examples of the power of early intervention.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. This great motion is really worthwhile, and I thank the proposer for moving it. Our amendment does not seek to remove anything from the original motion; it seeks to do two other things. First, it makes reference to the importance of delivering an updated Healthy Child, Healthy Future framework, which, I know, is advanced in its progress. Secondly, it recognises and underscores the important intersection between health and education in relation to child development. The intention of the amendment is to strengthen and reinforce the central tenet of the original motion that the one-year assessment is a vital tool for tracking a child's development progress in health and early education.”
“What is the Minister's assessment of what can be delivered in this mandate, following the allocation that his Department received from the transformation board to deliver on his SEN reform plan?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. Has her Department made any budget bids to the fund for the delivery of the Knockmore line, which includes that link to Belfast International Airport?”
“I welcome the announcement. I am really glad to see that the proposal for special educational needs has been included. The Minister of Education recently published his SEN reform agenda, which itself is a transformational programme, but the amount that has been allocated today is a fraction of what is needed for that. Minister, will you publish the full details of the original pitch or bid that was submitted to the transformation board, and provide an explanation of how the selected projects will deliver transformational change?”
“Clause 7 appears to ensure engagement with the school manager if complaints are received, which is right, but it does not appear to ensure engagement with parents, young people or whoever is making the complaint before a way forward is decided upon. <BR /> <BR />School uniforms are important in ensuring a sense of community and equality. There should not be barriers either to accessing education or to fully participating in it. I welcome the legislation and look forward to working, on a cross-party basis, to ensure that it delivers for pupils and their families.”
“I am yet to be convinced that statutory guidance alone will ensure that families in coming years will not continue to face huge costs. The response to the consultation was clear: 88% of respondents were in favour of cost controls, and so Alliance still feels strongly that a cap should not just be talked about but should be implemented, ideally by an independent body or person. I look forward to exploring that further in the Committee Stage. <BR /> <BR />There must be clarity on how the Department will ensure adherence to new statutory guidelines. I ask the Minister to provide further information on how that process will work.”
“Therefore, we welcome the move to place the guidance on a statutory footing. <BR /> <BR />The legislation, as it stands, will give the Department as much scope as possible in what to include in that statutory guidance. That makes sense. However, it means that the delivery of the ambition for the legislation rests on what the Department chooses to place in the guidance. It is important, therefore, to understand the direction of travel of the Minister and the Department as to what they intend to include and act on and what they want to ensure that schools will adhere to. For example, the legislation says that the Department "may include" provision on styles and numbers of clothing items that are deemed to be reasonable. Also, in clause 4, it allows "provision" for a cost cap. Essentially, the Department may or may not introduce a cost cap.”
“<BR /> <BR />I also look to the legislation to ensure that uniforms are comfortable and appropriate for our children and young people and to ensure that clear consideration is shown to children with special educational needs, who deserve a school uniform that, again, is not a barrier to their right to education. <BR /> <BR />As it stands, I have concerns that the Bill will not create the change that families need to see. The Department has had non-statutory guidance in place since 2004, which urges schools to ensure that school uniforms are affordable. Many schools do that. Some, as is clear from the numerous reports and the consultation responses, continue to require families to purchase items from particular suppliers or spend huge amounts of money on specific items.”
“<BR /> <BR />Save the Children published research in 2023 that showed that one in three parents has had to borrow money to cover the cost of school uniforms and PE kits. That is an unacceptable and untenable situation, so we must not miss the opportunity that the Bill offers to give such families certainty that the legislation will deliver for them. The level of engagement with the consultation on the Bill, at over 7,500 survey responses, shows the strength of feeling and reflects lived experience. I look forward to working on the Education Committee and with the Minister and his officials to ensure that the legislation delivers on its intention to remove or, at the very least, reduce one of the financial barriers to children's education: the cost of school uniforms.”
“I thank the Minister for introducing the Bill and his officials for their work to get it to this point. As a relatively new Member, it is wonderful for me to have a piece of legislation to work through, especially one that is as worthy as this. <BR /> <BR />Every child has the right to a high-quality education, and there should be no barriers to that right. Families have long called for measures on the cost and availability of uniforms, so it is good that, following the relentless cycle of Assembly collapse, we, as legislators, can finally respond to those calls. In reality, however, families face financial barriers in sending their children to school, the cost and availability of uniforms being just one of them.”
“I sincerely want the Education Minister to succeed with those plans, whether it be delivering quality, affordable childcare or reforming our system so that those with special educational needs get the support that they need. Families need him to succeed. By the end of the mandate, the only thing that will matter, as a measure of success, is the impact of those provisions on the lives of the people who matter: the children and young people and families.”
“From our perspective, a clear omission is a strategic commitment to integrated education, which two thirds of people believe should be the main model for our education system. The cost of supporting a divided education system is not sustainable. The Education Minister speaks of the need for more money for Education, but it is not reasonable to keep asking for more resource if you are not prepared to tackle systemic duplication and inefficiency in how we spend money. <BR /> <BR />Finally, all the measures that are in the education section of the PFG are under way in some way or another, but what remains to be seen is whether those plans are implemented in full.”
“I will use this platform to echo the call of so many Members from across the House to protect and, in fact, reinstate the nursing provision that was removed, without adequate explanation, from two of our special schools. We cannot be comfortable with classroom assistants being responsible for skilled medical interventions on our most vulnerable children. A cross-departmental approach to SEN transformation must deliver an inclusive vision for the future, clearly define the purpose of SEN education and address the workforce crisis. There must also be more emphasis on early intervention to identify and tailor support so that we can start to address problems before they develop and become more complex. <BR /> <BR />As I said at the start of my remarks, this document is not what Alliance would have written.”
“At this point, I pay tribute to our SEN parents, who fight every day for their children. They should not have to fight. They should not have to make a name for themselves in the public eye to get recognition in documents such as this to ensure that their children can access the educational opportunities and outcomes that will enable them to fulfil their potential. However, Alma White, who is mum to Caleb, has done just that. The words "post 19" may seem small, but their inclusion in the document creates the great expectation that we will deliver for those young people. I know that Alma will hold every one of us to account on that. <BR /> <BR />In health, data sharing and embedding allied health professionals in local impact teams, along with protecting nursing provision in our special schools where it is needed, must be a priority.”
“Delivering transformation requires the Department of Health and the Department for the Economy to work with the Minister of Education to implement the published SEN reform agenda and a delivery plan. Economy and Education must link to provide post-16 and post-19 learning and career options.”
“<BR /> <BR />I expect every Member in the House to welcome the inclusion of better support for children and young people with special educational needs, so pressing is the need in that space. Our SEN children are not a burden; they are individuals, just like every one of us in the Chamber. They are individuals with needs and ambitions, but they have been failed, and that has left a huge need to be addressed. Therefore, we should all recognise the importance of the inclusion in our PFG of a dedicated section focused on those inspiring, valued and integral members of our education community. Delivering for them will be a test of our ability to work together across Departments. We have to start using the Children's Services Co-operation Act 2015.”
“Whilst we acknowledge and are frustrated that tackling poverty has not been given the prominence that it deserves in the final document, we know that expanding investment in childcare and early intervention, along with initiatives that address the cost of participation in formal education, can play a role in easing some of the outworkings of poverty on low-income families. For example, later today, we will debate and welcome the Second Stage of the School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill, which was introduced by the Education Minister to address school uniform costs and includes a move towards a cost cap, as per our party policy. That again illustrates how Ministers can go and are going further than the boundaries of these 100-odd pages to introduce legislation and tackle disadvantage.”
“For example, we are pleased that the DUP has followed Alliance's lead in dropping the failed free hours model of childcare and adopted our policy of a subsidy scheme. That scheme has made a positive impact, but it must now be bolstered; uplifted to meet increased costs; and expanded beyond preschool as part of a wider package that includes placing early years on a statutory footing and a comprehensive early learning and childcare strategy. <BR /> <BR />Investing in affordable childcare is also an important anti-poverty tool.”
“I support the Programme for Government. Imperfect as it is, it is the first PFG since 2011, and that is worth acknowledging as a positive for Northern Ireland, for the power-sharing institutions and for the Executive. No member of my party will stand up today and gush about the document or oversell it to the people of Northern Ireland. It does not include everything that Alliance wants to see, but we have made our mark in it, and our Ministers, along with every other Minister, will have scope to go further and deliver more than the specific priorities identified in this publication. <BR /> <BR />The influence that Alliance has had on shaping the Executive priorities extends beyond our two Ministries.”
“Ministerial announcements such as that on the winter fuel payment trigger scammers to target beneficiaries. Given the number of older pensioners who are not online, what non-digital communication is the Minister providing to raise awareness of how the payment will be made and of how to avoid scammers, especially those who use the telephone to trick pensioners?”
“I fear that this is not the trajectory that we are on.”
“Our public services are underfunded, but it is equally imperative that Minister and Department are able to demonstrate that they are using limited resources efficiently and are up for the necessary transformational change. It will take courage, but we simply cannot afford to sustain the level of complexity and disparity in how our schools are funded and supported. <BR /> <BR />I hope that the measures that the Minister has outlined are successful, and I recognise the work that has been already carried out by the EA. However, I urge the Minister to go further in our schools estate management. When the ultimate objective is to give all our children a great education and resources are as scarce as they are, difficult decisions are needed to ensure that we have a sustainable school estate.”
“One school leader said, "All the schools are trying to purchase the same items at the same time from a limited pool of EA suppliers, and this is pushing up the costs." This is another example of how the current EA framework approach works against schools rather than with them. <BR /> <BR />I welcome whatever detail the Minister can provide today, although I am concerned that the changes described are a far cry from the strategic approach to estates management recommended by the audit report and the independent review of education. In short, our education system is simply too complicated. We cannot keep tinkering around the edges. The need for an improved budget settlement is a case that we are all unified in making.”
“Outside of the many examples provided today of schools paying over the odds for routine, small-scale maintenance and spending, schools have raised with me frustration at the pressure placed on them in schemes such as the outdoor learning project, which, I appreciate, is slightly outside the scope of the debate but is linked. Guidance for schools was issued in February, with schools required to order and take receipt of goods by the end of March. A number of school leaders told me of their frustration at being placed under pressure to spend money on particular items when they had essential maintenance that needed to be completed.”
“We want schools to be trusted with a level of flexibility to quickly procure low-value services but with clear and uncomplicated accountability guidelines. Schools do not have time for complicated processes. They have a much more important job to do that they need to focus on, and that is educating our children and young people.”
“Additional detail from the Minister today would be really welcome to give school leaders confidence that, after waiting several years for completion of new procurement contracts, the new approach will deliver the substantial change to the system that is badly needed. <BR /> <BR />We all recognise that there is a delicate balance to be struck between flexibility and accountability.”
“I am confident that every Member who is here has heard from a school leader who is frustrated at the quality of the accommodation in which their students are expected to learn while facing constraints on their options to procure services. Ultimately, school leaders want a common-sense and agile approach to procurement that ensures value for money. Given the pressure on school budgets, that is especially important. <BR /> <BR />In his response to last week's Adjournment debate, the Minister spoke about a new delivery model for maintenance procurement, which shows that the Department has listened to our school leaders. The model described offers hope of a more responsive service for schools, with improved mechanisms to monitor costs and poor contractor performance.”
“It is fair to say that we are having a wee bit of a déjà vu moment after the Adjournment debate last week, but that debate was welcome, and it was helpful to hear from the Minister in advance of today's debate and to learn about the EA work that is already under way. We welcome the motion and will support it along with the DUP amendment. The motion is narrow in scope, and it is clear from the 2024 Audit Office report that we need to have a much wider and more in-depth debate about the entire school estate, including minor and major capital works and school maintenance. <BR /> <BR />It is a regrettable fact that our school estate is not in good shape.”
“You referenced the gap between support from DWP through the housing allowance and proposed a grant scheme for that. Do you agree that a grant scheme would be costly and place an administrative burden on officials; that, perhaps, a better approach would be for us to, collectively, lobby DWP to review the local housing allowance (LHA) annually to make sure that it synchronises with the market; and that that would help ease those pressures?”
“People will be really concerned that £1·8 million that was earmarked for childcare has been returned, given just how vital that sector is. Given that childcare is an Executive priority, did your Department seek assurances from the Education Department that that money, which was ring-fenced for childcare, would still be used to deliver on childcare pressures in Northern Ireland?”
“Minister, thank you for the answer. Was that protocol in place between 2008 and 2021, considering the significant number of women, particularly in the Southern Trust, who were placed at considerable risk in those years? Who is accountable for the lack of adherence to that protocol?”
“Thank you for that answer, Minister. Will you, please, make representations to the UK Government on getting an increase in tax-free childcare allowance?”
“What role will the deputy First Minister play, along with the First Minister, to ensure prompt scrutiny of legislation through Committees to enable the programme to be completed in this mandate?”
“Thank you, Minister. You said that work should continue, and I agree. If the unions are willing to come to the table now, as they have indicated, will you ask or encourage management side to also get around the table as soon as possible so that we can get this over the line to the benefit of everyone?”