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  • Support and development

    Support on issues including child protection and safeguarding, school meals and keeping children safe online

    contents

    Special educational needs

    • End to End Review of Special Educational Needs (SEN)
    • Special Educational Needs (SEN) Resources
    • Independent Review of Special Education Needs

    Child protection and safeguarding

    • Protecting and safeguarding our children
    • Additional educational needs
    • Road safety education

    Internet and Wi-fi

    • Internet and Wi-fi guidance
    • Wi-fi
    • Management information systems

    School meals

    • Nutritional standards
    • Food in schools resources
    • What is School food: top marks?

    Pupil health and wellbeing

    • Coronavirus Guidance Note to All Educational Settings
    • Support for parents and pupils
    • Suicide Prevention Guidance

    Pupil behaviour and school discipline

    • Two video presentations on Reading and Phonetics
    • Suspensions and expulsions
    • Behaviour at school

    Early years education and learning

    • Tranche Three – Pre-school Settings Requesting Transition From September 2025
    • Minister’s Decisions on Pre-School Settings Requesting Transition from September 2025
    • The Pathway Fund 2021–2023

    Education otherwise than at school

    • Elective home education
    • Education otherwise than at school

    GDPR Privacy Notice

    Privacy Notice - Youth Practitioner Survey

    Priorities for Youth (PfY) Policy Review

    DE’s Priorities for Youth (PfY) policy was published in 2013, and with all actions completed is now due for review. The policy review commenced in September 2023 and it is anticipated that the work will not be completed before end of 2025/early 2026 at the earliest.

    Temporary Flexibility - Nursery Schools / Units

    Guidance on Temporary Flexibility for nursery schools and primary schools with nursery units.

    Newcomers

    The arrival of people from other countries into Northern Ireland has enriched the diversity of our population, our cultural perspectives and has significantly changed the range of languages spoken here.

    Related to Support and development

    Most recent publications

    • Summary Report on the Responses to the Consultation on Proposed Changes to the Review of Free School Meals and Uniform Grant Eligibility Criteria

      Published 3 July 2025
    • Written Ministerial Statement - Early Learning and Childcare Measures 2025/26

      Published 16 May 2025
    See all publications in this topic

    Most recent consultations

    • Review of Free School Meals and Uniform Grant Eligibility Criteria

      Published 22 November 2024 Consultation closed
    • School Uniform Policy Consultation

      Published 20 June 2024 Consultation closed
    See all consultations in this topic

    Most recent news items

    • Ministers explore opportunities to further enhance cooperation during visit to Middletown Centre for Autism

      Published 2 April 2025
    • Twelve members appointed to the Board of the Education Authority

      Published 28 March 2025
    See all news in this topic

    Access to information

    How to request information from the Department of Education including Freedom of Information (FOI) and the use of our Publication Scheme. The Department publishes responses to requests for information made under FOI in its Disclosure Log

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