CiNI’s response to the Draft Budget makes clear that children and families must not bear the brunt of structural funding pressures, and that the Executive has a legal duty to mitigate equality impacts at the point budgets are set – not after services are cut.

In this submission, we strongly argue for sustainable, multi-year investment in prevention and early intervention, and for the Voluntary and Community Sector to be recognised and funded as essential infrastructure, not treated as a stop-gap or shock absorber for statutory shortfalls.