NI Executive Disability Strategy 2025-2035
The Northern Ireland Executive Disability Strategy 2025-2035 aims to improve the lives of people who are Deaf and disabled people, their families and carers so that they can play a full and active role in all aspects of society.
There have been some issues around this consultation with some of the disability sector unhappy with the process and what is contained in the draft. Four former members of the Disability Strategy Co-Design Group have released a briefing exposing the major failings in the draft and it is available to read here: https://dpacni.com/2025/12/09/disappointment-with-the-draft-disability-strategy-a-briefing-paper/
The Strategy is currently open for consultation and closes on 20th March 2026. Siobhán will prepare a response to this consultation please get in touch at policy@wsn.org.uk if you wish to contribute. The consultation is available to read on the Department for Communities website here:
NI Executive Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Strategy
The draft ELC Strategy is the Executive’s draft plan for more affordable, accessible, high-quality early learning and childcare.
The draft strategy builds on work already undertaken to enhance early learning and childcare provision in Northern Ireland and seeks to consolidate and expand on this. The strategy is structured around three core themes:
Supporting Children in Their Early Years
This theme focuses on what the Strategy will deliver for children. It concentrates on improving ELC experiences through expansion and enhancement of provision, the promotion of high-quality ELC environments and targeted support for those facing disadvantage and those with additional needs.
Supporting Families with their Children’s ELC Costs
This theme focuses on what the Strategy will do for families and carers. It seeks to make childcare more affordable and ensure better availability and accessibility of support and information, empowering parents to make the best choices for themselves and their family.
Supporting the Early Years Sector and Workforce
This theme sets out the vital role of the ELC sector and workforce in delivering change. It focuses on improving sustainability and building capacity, while promoting fair pay and professional recognition.
The draft ELC Strategy is open for consultation and closes on 24th March 2026. Siobhán will prepare a response to this consultation please get in touch at policy@wsn.org.uk if you wish to contribute. The consultation is available to read on the Department of Education’s website here:
https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/consultations/consultation-draft-executive-elc-strategy
Consultation on Notice to Quit Periods
The Department for Communities are consulting the ‘Exceptions to longer ‘notice to quit’ periods in Northern Ireland.
Article 14 of the Private Tenancies (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 (as amended by Section 11 of the Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022) sets out longer notice to quit periods that a landlord must give to a tenant. The increased notice to quit periods are as follows:
- 8 weeks, if the tenancy has not been in existence for more than 12 months;
- 4 months, if the tenancy has been in existence for more than 12 months but not for more than 3 years;
- 6 months, if the tenancy has been in existence for more than 3 years but not for more than 8 years; and
- 7 months, if the tenancy has been in existence for more than 8 years.
There are four circumstances in which a landlord can give a shorter notice period than those set out above. The Regulations refer to these shorter notice periods as special case notice periods. These circumstances and associated notice periods are set out in the table below:
The consultation closes on 29th March 2026. Siobhán will prepare a short letter response to this consultation please get in touch at policy@wsn.org.uk if you wish to contribute. The consultation is available to read on the Department for Communities website here:
https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/consultations/consultation-notice-quit-periods
