To ask the Minister of Health to detail which body holds responsibility for coordinating support for a vulnerable young person unable to attend education due to mental health and trauma-related needs.

The Department of Education (DE) is the responsible authority for coordinating support for any young person who is unable to attend education due to mental health or trauma related needs.

My Department offers support to colleagues working in the education setting through the Emotional Wellbeing Teams in Schools (EWTS) project, a health-led initiative delivered within the joint DE/Department of Health, Children and Young People’s Emotional Health and Wellbeing in Education framework. EWTS is offered to all post primary and EOTAS (Education Other Than At School) settings on a cohort basis and promotes an integrated health-informed approach, to include strengthening the emotional readiness of pupils whose mental health impacts their ability to engage in learning.

This health‑led contribution supports DE’s statutory responsibilities by helping to equip school staff to support vulnerable young people to access education in a way and at a pace that aligns with their individual wellbeing needs.

My Department also offers support directly to young people through the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) provision, which is available in all five HSC Trusts. CAMHS adhere to the Regional CAMHS Integrated Care Pathway - Working together: A pathway for Children and Young People through CAMHS (which encompasses the stepped care model) and aims to ensure the delivery of health care services for children by prioritising the least intensive yet most effective treatment first.

EWTS works directly with school staff to build their understanding of thresholds and pathways to specialist support, including CAMHS and when referrals may be appropriate. As such children or young people referred for specialist/targeted intervention to CAMHS may have and will continue to have significant support being provided through multi-agency involvement whilst waiting to access CAMHS or indeed following and during care and treatment with CAMHS.