Debate contribution: SEN Placements: September 2026
Debate contribution by Mr Paul Givan on .
- MLA
- Mr Paul Givan
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 22 June 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- SEN Placements: September 2026
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5638362
Read the official Assembly record
Text
The issue was covered at length at the Education Committee. The position is still not where it ought to be. When I came into office, the position that I inherited was much worse than it is today. Changes have been made to the process for providing placements; there has been engagement with schools across the Province; needs have been identified and mapped out; and we have proactively reached out to the schools. That approach has proved successful. We still need to work through a number of placements. Children are currently being assessed. If we had a cut-off point that meant that we placed children with SEN on the basis of their status on the same date as pupils who are not being statemented, those children would have a placement, but it would likely be in a school that was not the most appropriate for them. The current process involves ongoing consideration of admissions and statementing, and then the placement is aligned with the statement. I caution Members against saying that all children should receive the name of the school that they will attend in September on the same date. We could place the children, but the placements would not be the right one. A significant improvement has been made, through interventions by the Department and the EA, to engage more schools in this particular issue.
225 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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