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COMMITTEE FOR EDUCATION

Departmental Consultation

Early Years (0-6) Strategy

Chairperson's letter to all MLAs regarding Committee Motion

Mr Mervyn Storey
Chairperson, Committee for Education

TO ALL MLAs

2 December 2010

COMMITTEE FOR EDUCATION MOTION
‘Early Years Children’s Strategy’ – 6 December 2010

• The following Committee Motion is scheduled for debate in the Assembly on Monday 6 December 2010 at 1.00pm (indicative time) for up to 3 hours. For Members’ ease of reference, the terms of the motion are as follows:

‘That this Assembly notes the Early Years (0-6) Strategy consultation by the Department of Education and the comments of stakeholders; agrees that there is a clear need for a cross-departmental and holistic approach to early years provision; and calls on the Minister of Education to develop a cross-departmental and holistic Early Years Children’s Strategy and Action Plan which will fully integrate provision for the social, care and educational needs of young children from pre-birth to age six.’

• The Committee agreed to populate its website with relevant current information which would be available to all Members of the Assembly, stakeholders and the general public in advance of the debate. The Committee’s Early Years webpage contains links to:
• The Department’s draft Early Years (0-6) Strategy :
• the Committee’s initial letter to the Department raising issues and concerns and the Department’s Response ;
• key stakeholder briefings and submissions;
• the Hansard record of the very successful Early Years Stakeholder Event hosted by the Committee on 17 November 2010 that triggered the Committee’s unanimous agreement to table the above motion; and
• Relevant Assembly Questions and Answers
• The Committee’s Stakeholder Event on the Department’s draft Early Years (0-6) Strategy on 17 November highlighted the need for a cross-departmental approach to social, care and education early years provision and Committee hopes that the debate on this motion will help inform both the Assembly and the Minister of Education on not only the need for such a Strategy but how this might best be achieved through an Associated Action Plan.

Yours sincerely

Mervyn Storey

Mervyn Storey MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Education