'Heartbreaking': Autism diagnosis delays forcing families to find money for private assessments warn Derry & Strabane reps

www.derryjournal.com— Elected representatives have now backed a motion proposing that the Council write to the Minister for Health Robin Swann, Minister for Education Paul Givan, and Minister for Finance Caoimhe Archibald, to “urgently develop and present a business case” with clear reduction targets for assessment wait times. The motion was tabled by SDLP councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr at the Full Council Meeting on Wednesday, and Derry & Strabane Council will seek collaboration from all other Councils across the...

www.derryjournal.com—Childcare provision in NW ‘on its knees’ warns Derry & Strabane Alderman as costs soar. It follows a motion by UUP Alderman Derek Hussey, at the April Full Council meeting, which proposed writing to the Executive Office and calling on the Northern Ireland Executive to “prioritise cross-departmental financing of a viable early years childcare strategy”. A poll, by Employers for Childcare, found that 73 percent of childcare providers had either increased fees at the start of this year or intend to by June. Alderman Hussey said that as the Cost of Living continues to rise, childcare...

www.derryjournal.com—Motorists warned to expect traffic delays with 700 to take part in loyalist parade in Derry. Motorists are being advised to expect some traffic delays during the East Bank Protestant Boys Flute Band’s annual parade in the Irish Street area. The parade will leave Dennett Gardens at 8.30pm, making its way through Irish Street, across the Dungiven Road into Woodburn and back again. Five hundred participants and 200 supporters are expected. The PSNI said: “Road users are advised of traffic disruption in Derry/Londonderry this evening, Friday, May 3, due to a band parade. "The parade is due...

www.derryjournal.com—NI Hardship Fund 'inadequate' warns Derry rep: Call for Ant-poverty Strategy to be brought in now. A motion, put forward by People Before Profit councillor Shaun Harkin at a Governance and Strategic Planning Committee meeting on Tuesday, May 7, proposed writing to the Minister for Communities, Gordon Lyons, seeking clarification on plans to “implement an anti-poverty strategy with a ring-fenced budget”. The proposal stated that he council were “concerned at the lack of clarity from the Minister and the Stormont Executive regarding the legal duty to implement a strategy”, and also invited...