To ask the Minister of Health whether his Department's policy on children's respite services includes direction to move children outside Northern Ireland to access these services.

It is not my Department's policy to rely on out of jurisdiction placements for residential purposes. Out of jurisdiction placements for assessment and treatment are used in exceptional circumstances and monitored continuously with a view of bringing people supported home at the earliest opportunity.

However, it is acknowledged that regionally availability of short breaks is significantly limited. There has been an increase in the number of children and young people with disabilities and there has been an increasing demand for access to short breaks services.

Some children and young people with a disability have also required longer-term residential placements, and this has led to occasions when overnight short breaks units have had children and young people placed there for longer than 90 days. This has meant that these units at times cannot maintain a short breaks service.

The Department’s strategic response has been set out through a Framework for Children with Disabilities. This has been partly progressed through the Children’s Services Strategic Reform Programme, including specific workstreams on children with a disability and residential placement capacity.

While the implementation of the Framework will take time and investment to improve outcomes, it is recognised that an urgent regional response is required to enable access to short breaks. My officials convened a regional summit with Trusts, RQIA and PHA on 26 September 2024, to identify areas that could be rapidly progressed to address the immediate unmet needs of children with disabilities. Costed proposals are being finalised for my consideration in the coming days.

I fully recognise the current situation is unsustainable and am determined to see urgent improvements in this area.