A decision to end holiday hunger, school counselling and Covid education recovery schemes for children in Northern Ireland at a day’s notice has been described as “outrageous” and the result of a “failing political system”.
The families of about 96,000 children entitled to free school meals have received £27 in support per child every fortnight during school holidays to help with the cost of food.
However, the Department of Education said the School Holiday Food Grants (SHFG) scheme, as well as the Healthy Happy Minds pilot and the Engage Programme, are to end after today, as a result of ring-fenced funding no longer being available.
Healthy Happy Minds was launched in November 2021 by education minister Michelle McIlveen and was aimed mainly at primary-aged pupils. The Education Authority said at the time that it offered “a broad range of therapeutic interventions to be tested at primary school level, including play, drama, music, art and equine-assisted therapy and learning”.
The Engage Programme, in the Department of Education’s own words, “aims to limit any long-term adverse impact of Covid-19 by supporting pupils’ learning and engagement on their return to school/setting through provision of high quality one to one, small group or team teaching support in every school/setting in Northern Ireland”.
A Department of Education spokesperson said that after today - just as the Easter holidays are starting - school holiday food grants can no longer be made, adding that the department is facing an “extremely challenging budget”.
“The department recognises the important support the SHFG scheme has provided for low-income families who are struggling financially, particularly with recent cost-of-living rises, and realises the huge disappointment this will be for parents,” the spokesperson said in yesterday’s statement.
“It is with great reluctance that the department is confirming that SHFG will be discontinued from March 31 2023.
“While funding allocations have not yet been confirmed by the secretary of state, the Department of Education is facing an extremely challenging budget.
“We will continue to work with other government departments and agencies in efforts to tackle holiday hunger in the future.”
Budget pressures were also cited for the ending of the Healthy Happy Minds pilot and the Engage Programme, which will also end today.
“We will draw on the positive learning from both programmes, which were fundamental in helping our children and young people address the impacts of the pandemic, to inform the development and implementation of future interventions,” the spokesperson added.
“The department is extremely grateful to all those who have supported the delivery of Healthy Happy Minds and Engage over the past number of years to provide invaluable support to pupils across all our educational settings.”
SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan criticised the decision by the department, saying school leaders were given “a single day’s notice of their intention to end important education support programmes across Northern Ireland”.
He said: “The decision to scrap these schemes is absolutely outrageous. To do so with a single day’s notice to principals, staff and the parents that rely on them is totally unforgivable.
“I understand the challenging financial position that the Department of Education is in, but what about the financial situation facing thousands of families?
“Cutting holiday hunger payments right before the Easter break will be devastating for low-income families across the North; ending Healthy Happy Minds and the Engage programme will leave kids that need a bit more support in a terrible situation, not to mention the staff that rely on this funding.”
Mr McCrossan said there are “serious questions” about how the department has handled the issue, but also criticised the DUP for having “paralysed” the political system by boycotting Stormont, leaving secretary of state Chris Heaton-Harris to set the budget.
“These are the real-world consequences of a failing political system,” he added.
The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) said the cuts were required in light of years of financial mismanagement and the lack of a functioning executive.
“The announcement today shows just how challenging the budgetary situation in Northern Ireland is,” an NIO spokesperson said. “This critical situation has been created through years of financial mismanagement.
“Per head, public spending in Northern Ireland is already 21 per cent higher than the UK average, and NI’s block grant is at record levels in cash terms, averaging some £15 billion per year over the next three years.
“For four out of the past six years, Northern Ireland has been without locally elected representatives to take the key strategic decisions to protect public finances.”
The NIO spokesperson added: “It is disappointing that political stalemate continues to paralyse long-neglected strategic decision making to protect public finances.
“It is with regret that the secretary of state and UK government officials, with support from the NI Department of Finance, are preparing a budget to be introduced for 2023-24 if the absence of an executive continues.”
