The Postgraduate Certificate in Integrated Children's Services has been designed to recruit those whose work role or interest reflects the current policy and practice developments. It will enable participants to learn about developments in integrated service delivery across health, social care and education.

On 21st April the Assembly debated the following motion put down by Dr McDonnell (SDLP) "That this Assembly recognises the threat to future prosperity and well-being posed by educational underachievement in many communities; and calls on the Executive, and the Minister of Education in particular, to produce a cross-cutting departmental action programme designed to tackle educational underachievement."

The 2009 World Forum on Early Care and Education 2009 to be held in Belfast for the first time is now only a few weeks away, and it has already achieved a significant economic milestone with all 600 places now booked!

The Early Years Team within the Department of Education has secured additional funding under the Investment Strategy Northern Ireland (ISNI), to assist in improving the current infrastructure for the Early Years sector by matching the quality of the infrastructure to the range of services already provided.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Barry Andrews, T.D. welcomed today's Budget announcement by the Minister for Finance of the introduction next January of a free pre-school year for children.