To ask the Minister of Health to detail the number of children with a disability in the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust who were assessed as on the edge of care in each of the last five years, broken down by (i) allocated; and (ii) unallocated cases.

The South Eastern Trust has not centrally collated this information over the past 5 years. During February 2024 my Department initiated the completion of monthly data of children with a disability in the community who were at risk of entering care across all Health and Social Care Trusts, however this was not applied retrospectively. In February 2024, there were 10 Children with a Disability who met the definition for being on the Edge of Care in the South Eastern Trust . In March 2025, this number had increased to 13. These young people are allocated to a Social Worker and are in receipt of services.

The South Eastern Trust adheres to the definition of ‘Edge of Care’, from the Department of Health Strategy A Life Deserved Strategy (DoH: 2021). This definition captures children residing in the community at risk of entering the care system. It also includes children in care who are at risk of going deeper into the care system, such as secure care for example and children in care making the transition from a care placement.