Education Minister has welcomed the introduction of
the Armed Forces Bill to Parliament.
The Armed Forces Covenant is a UK-wide pledge designed to ensure
that members of the Armed Forces community are not disadvantaged
when accessing public services.
said: “This legislation
represents an important step in reinforcing governmental
commitment to the Armed Forces community and I am keen to ensure
that my Department does all that it can to support
implementation.
“I recognise that children from Armed Forces families often face
unique challenges, such as frequent mobility, transitions between
schools, and concerns around emotional wellbeing.
"These factors can disrupt continuity of learning and affect
social integration for children of service personnel within the
school environment. The Department, the Education Authority and
schools have a responsibility to mitigate these disadvantages and
provide appropriate support to ensure these children can thrive
and reach their potential.”
The Department and Education Authority already provide a range of
supports to children of service personnel including an additional
funding premium which enables schools to provide flexible support
to best meet the needs of this cohort of pupils.
The Minister continued: “My Department will strive to strengthen
engagement with schools which have significant numbers of
children from Armed Forces families and explore the scope for
additional support measures. It is also my intention to issue
updated guidance to all schools.
“My Department will continue to collaborate with stakeholders to
identify, promote, and implement effective strategies that
support Armed Forces families and enhance educational outcomes
for their children.”
concluded: “Through continued
collaboration, targeted interventions, and the sharing of best
practice, the Department will work to create an inclusive and
supportive environment where every child from an Armed Forces
family is supported to achieve their full potential.”
Further details of actions being taken to support implementation
are set out in a Written Ministerial Statement, which has been
published on the Department of Education website
at: www.education-ni.gov.uk/publications/written-ministerial-statement-introduction-armed-forces-bill-parliament.
Notes to editors:
1. The Armed Forces Covenant is a UK-wide pledge designed to
ensure that members of the Armed Forces community are not
disadvantaged when accessing public services. It places duties on
public bodies requiring them to give due consideration to its
principles in the exercise of their functions. The Armed Forces
Act enshrined key parts of the Armed Forces Covenant into law,
creating a statutory duty for these public bodies to have due
regard to the Covenant principles; the new Bill will extend the
Covenant principles.
