The difficulties for schools in arranging qualified teaching cover were highlighted in the NI Audit Office report on The Management of Substitution Cover for Teachers’ published in December 2002. The ‘Substitute Teacher Register’ is specifically aimed at tackling the practical issues involved and in doing so it provides benefits for both schools and substitute teachers.

The ‘Register’ is being supported by the Department of Education and is being developed in partnership with all five education and library boards, CCMS, NICIE, voluntary grammar schools, Irish Medium schools and trade union representatives from the Northern Ireland Teachers’ Council. The General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland has also endorsed the Register.

In view of the continuing need to ensure that children are taught in a safe environment and in order to offer protection to pupils, schools and employers by ensuring that all substitute teachers are properly checked as suitable to work with children, the Department of Education issued Circular 2006/07 advising schools and employing authorities that from 1 September 2006 only substitute teachers who are on NISTR should be employed to work in schools.