MLAS told of no guarantee of placement for SEN kids

THE Education Authority has told MLAS it cannot guarantee that all children with SEN statements will be placed in schools in time for the new term.

While EA statistics show that 97.3% of all parents of SEN pupils holding a relevant statement have been informed on which school their child will be attending, 120 remain in limbo.

The new term starts in around six weeks’ time and the EA only have three support link officers in place to deal with concerns.

The majority of those still waiting on places are those who are ready to start primary school — with 78 still to have a place confirmed. There are also 17 children awaiting a nursery school place, 28 transferring from primary to post-primary and two further in other transition years.

Alliance MLA Kate Nicholl said that number remains ‘unacceptable’.

The South Belfast MLA was speaking following a briefing to MLAS from the EA.

“Children are being failed by the annual crisis in SEN education,” she said, “and the Education Minister must prioritise reform and investment.

“While progress has been made, it is unacceptable 120 children are awaiting confirmation.”

Ms Nicholl said special schools have been “over-capacity and under-resourced for far too long”.

SDLP MLA Cara Hunter said the issue was causing heartache for parents every summer.

She urged the EA to find a permanent solution to the issue.

Ms Hunter said that since 2018, SEN statements have increased by 50%, and she fears this figure may continue to rise.

In April, Education Minister Paul Givan set out a new series of measures to help tackle the problems in special needs education.

Up to eight new special education schools are to be built over the next 10 years.

Mr Givan admitted more than 1000 extra school places were needed for children with SEN this September.

Approaches to primary schools to set up units to enrol SEN pupils will ease some of the pressure, but warned it would be a ‘long-term fix’.

The EA has been contacted for a response.