To ask the Minister of Education to detail any processes his Department has in place to oversee the Education Authority’s Youth Service delivery.

Article 37 of the Education & Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 places a statutory duty on the Education Authority (EA) to secure the provision of adequate facilities for the provision of youth activities which it can deliver on its own or with others.

My department sets the policy under which youth services should operate and the EA secure the provision of the service in line with the policy. Appropriate oversight is required from my department to obtain assurances this is being delivered as required.

As an arm’s length body, the EA and its Board are required to provide my department with a budget plan and a business plan setting out how they intend to deliver their statutory and other obligations within the budget provided. It is my department’s role to scrutinise and approve the EA plans and monitor progress.

To assist with monitoring the EA provide a monthly expenditure monitoring report (MEMR) to my department and this is scrutinised by all relevant policy areas including youth services. EA’s Youth Service also provides quarterly reports to DE on youth service outcomes as well as updates on the regional and local assessment of needs exercise they undertake.

Regular meetings take place between the EA Youth Service and my officials to obtain the necessary assurances. Structures have also been established to ensure engagement with EA on the review of the current youth work policy. The revised policy will require oversight processes to be put in place to ensure its implementation.

The Education and Training Inspectorate inspect youth service provision, as appropriate, to ensure quality and standards are being met.