Motion or amendment: Revised Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Framework
Motion or amendment by Mrs Cathy Mason on .
- MLA
- Mrs Cathy Mason
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 30 April 2026
- Type
- Motion or amendment
- Business
- Motion · Private Members' Motion
- Heading
- Revised Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Framework
- Assembly identifier
- Document 482406
Read the official Assembly record Open Data source
Text
Revised Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Framework
That this Assembly notes the significant intervention, by way of an open letter published by the Children’s Law Centre on 22 April 2026 and endorsed by a broad coalition of trade unions and children’s charities and organisations, which calls for the immediate halt of the implementation of the revised special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) framework; further notes the Centre’s assessment that the reforms are heading in the wrong direction, risk repeating past failures, and are potentially unlawful; expresses serious concern that the proposed changes, including the Enhanced Support Model, may dilute statutory protections, shift legal responsibilities from the Education Authority to schools and place further pressure on a system that is already unable to meet existing need; recognises the need to ensure that any reform is rights-based and capable of meeting the needs of children and families; and calls on the Minister of Education to pause the current implementation process, engage meaningfully with the Children’s Law Centre and other key organisations and bring forward revised proposals that comply with the law and deliver for children with SEND.
185 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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