To ask the Minister for Communities what steps his Department (i) has taken; and (ii) will take to engage with the Reimagine Collective, in light of their policy paper on Reimagining Social Care Services in Northern Ireland.

Addressing poverty in all its forms is a key priority for me. I am committed to delivering long-term, sustainable solutions to poverty for all in our communities, including children and young people, right across Northern Ireland.

Listening to and considering the views of stakeholders will be essential to this work, including, for example, the Reimagine Collective’s policy paper on Reimagining Social Care Services in Northern Ireland. I should point out, however, that any future welfare mitigation package will need to be assessed in the climate of financial constraint and the requirement to ensure that budgets remain sustainable over the coming years.

My focus will be on working with my Executive colleagues, and meeting with sectoral delivery partners and key stakeholders, to develop a sustainable, deliverable Anti-Poverty Strategy which addresses the issues that make a tangible difference to people’s lives.

I am currently considering the next steps to be taken in relation to an Executive Anti-Poverty Strategy and addressing the issues faced by children and young people remains a key focus of this ongoing work. Final decisions on the content and implementation of the Anti-Poverty Strategy will be subject to Executive agreement.