£3m ‘Nuture Units’ to support vulnerable child learning

A £3m investment has been announced to facilitate the launch of 20 new ‘nurture units’ for schools in Northern Ireland.

Nurture units are small groups of children staffed by supportive adults to improve the development of pupils and address any challenges in school life.

The Nurture Unit Signature Project has invested funding across 20 primary schools.

The £3m investment was announced by Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland and Education Minister John O’Dowd.

Minister McCausland said: “Investing in our children from an early stage in their young lives is paramount if, we, as a community, are to provide the necessary support and environment to enable them to thrive and develop.

“I have seen at firsthand how the personal time spent with our most vulnerable and young children in these units can not only have an impact on the social development of some of the children but can also have beneficial impact on their parents.”

Minister O’Dowd said: “All our schools have a responsibility for the emotional health and wellbeing of our children – to help build self-esteem and confidence in their own abilities, and to build levels of resilience that will help them cope with situations they may find difficult, not just in school but in later life.”