There are calls for Stormont education minister Paul Givan to ensure “action...not more empty words” on support for children with special educational needs (SEN).
The DUP minister has also been urged to push the executive for funding after announcing his ‘SEN Reform Agenda’ and five-year delivery plan on Monday.
Among the proposals are a “move away from one-to-one adult support” for SEN children, introduction of a child development passport and a “bespoke regional programme” for two-to-three-year-olds.
Mr Givan said the proposals include “systemic reforms that will support: greater inclusion, identification of need, early intervention, in-school and specialist support, and workforce development, to ensure every child gets the help they need”.
The plan indicates a “move away from one-to-one adult support for every child, and towards a more flexible model giving schools greater autonomy to meet the needs of the children in their schools”.
Mr Givan added: “Within the existing model, parents and indeed many schools see a statement of special educational needs as being the best way of securing support for a child.
“Aligned to this, we also know that many view one-to-one classroom assistant support as the ‘gold standard’ intervention.
“However, evidence from emerging practice both here and elsewhere points to the effectiveness of a more nuanced approach where schools have greater flexibility to deploy a range of professional support models in the classroom.”
The SEN Reform Agenda and delivery plan is expected to be published in the coming weeks, but Mr Givan said “significant and sustained investment” is needed.
But Nick Mathison of Alliance said it is “time for action on SEN education crisis, not more empty words”.
“We want and need the minister to succeed in transforming SEN services,” he said.
“The system is broken, and we have long been in a crisis situation.
“However, after listening to the minister’s statement today all we have right now is more empty words and no finalised action plan or costings.”
People Before Profit’s Gerry Carroll said the plan “raises red flags for support staff”.
“If the minister were to meaningfully engage and consult with parents of children with special educational needs, he would understand that one to one classroom assistant support is a lifeline for many children,” he said.
“Overworked, exhausted and underpaid education support workers will also be alarmed by the implications of this statement.”
He called for Mr Givan to “urgently clarify what his SEN Reform Agenda plans will look like in practice, and what this will mean for the workforce”.
SDLP MLA Cara Hunter said there are “serious doubts” over its implementation as the Executive has earmarked no funding.
“Many of the initiatives contained in the minister’s plan today are to be welcomed, but unless these proposals are backed up with a firm financial commitment from the executive they will never be delivered and the hopes of parents that the support they have been crying out for may finally come to fruition should not be raised unduly,” she said.
