A few days ahead of the new school year, a group of 400 Muslim women from across Northern Ireland have written a letter to Education Minister Paul Givan, sharing concerns about the safety of their children.

“As mothers we were worried, we have young children and soon they will be going to school and we are worried about their safety, they are worried about their safety,” Faiza Ahmed, a mother of three who lives in Bangor, told BBC News NI.

Recent racist disorder in Belfast has led to attacks on ethnic minority-owned businesses. The Muslim Mothers Collective wrote to Givan, expressing their “deep concern” and requesting “strong assurances” for their children’s safety and proactive measures to prevent bullying.

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Ahmed mentioned that her children, who had previously enjoyed school, are now anxious.

“It won’t be the same; now they go back to school thinking, wondering, and worrying,” she said.

The summer months were “terrible” due to the unrest, leaving families unable to enjoy time together.

Ahmed, who has only lived in Bangor for a year, was particularly disappointed as she missed the opportunity to make memories with her children.

Her youngest, starting school soon, asked, “Mum, is it safe?” Ahmed reassured her, but shared her anxiety: “Our children should be safe… it’s not their responsibility.”

In response to the concerns raised, Givan announced plans for risk assessments at schools near recent protests and acknowledged that recent events could make it more challenging for ethnic minority children to feel safe and succeed at school.