To ask the Minister of Education to outline (i) the process for primary and post-primary schools if a member of the school tests positive for COVID-19; (ii) what financial and other support will his Department and the Executive provide for schools with a positive case of COVID-19; and (iii) what recommendations he will make to the Executive to support childcare for children who must isolate at home due to COVID-19.

In primary and post-primary schools, where a staff member or pupil tests positive for COVID-19, the individual self isolates for at least 10 days in line with the Public Health Agency (PHA) advice. The individual will inform the school of positive test. The individual should co-operate with the Test, Trace, Protect / PHA Contact Tracing Service.

The school management team will draw up list of potentially exposed contacts and will proactively contact parents to advise potentially exposed individuals to remain at home. The PHA Contact Tracing Service / Health Protection will work with school management to clarify ‘close contacts’ using an agreed pro-forma and provide advice on self-isolation/ next steps. The school management team will complete the ‘Confirmed Covid-19 Case Pro-forma’ (available through C2k and the Education Authority (EA) website) and email it to the EA at a dedicated email address. The School management team will consider implications for staff / pupils at risk and seek further advice if required. If a COVID-19 confirmed case occurs in a statutory setting, the EA Cleaning Service will be notified. The school management team will communicate with the school community as soon as is practicable, to reassure them that safety measures are being taken and that the environment is safe.

The school management team will make alternative arrangements depending on PHA advice and also consider staffing implications and implications for after school activities. Exceptional Closures should only be applied for when PHA advise a school closure is necessary and after engagement with relevant Managing Authority. The school management team will review internal procedures and risk assessments, and consider any learning that could be applied for future cases.

To help support schools address many of the new pressures arising as a result of Covid-19, I outlined a significant package of funding to help support the safe reopening of schools, details of which are available on the Department's website.

The Department, in conjunction with the EA, will continue to monitor funding requirements as schools reopen and as the pandemic progresses, and any school facing financial difficulty should contact the EA as Funding Authority for grant aided schools, in the normal way.

Schools are also supported through dedicated Link Officers who are trained to provide support and guidance in the event of a positive test. Schools can also request support from the EA in terms of cleaning.

Where a positive case of COVID-19 is identified in a childcare setting, the PHA will offer bespoke advice based on all information available. Employers will need to be fair and reasonable with parents during this time. They will need to show some flexibility if a parent needs to remain at home, because a child is unable to attend childcare due to a suspected, or a positive, case of COVID-19.