Debate contribution: Special Educational Needs Provision: South Down

Debate contribution by Mr Paul Givan on 14 May 2024.

MLA

Mr Paul Givan

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

14 May 2024

Type

Debate contribution (made as a minister)

Business

Adjournment

Heading

Special Educational Needs Provision: South Down

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4490465

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I am grateful for the opportunity to respond to the debate. Due to the increasing demand for specialist education provision, the situation for September of this year remains challenging across Northern Ireland, so I thank Cathy Mason for bringing forward the Adjournment debate and the Members who have made a contribution to it. The debate touched on issues that are relevant across Northern Ireland.

My comments will touch on those, but, of course, the debate is primarily focused on South Down. I will not be able to go into detail on some of the broader issues today. However, the Assembly has debated those issues, and I have spoken at length on them in the House. I am happy to do so again, in that broader context, in the future. Let me provide some detail on those wider issues. The latest Education Authority planning assumptions indicate that almost 5,800 children with a statement of special educational needs required a change of or new placement for September this year, with almost 1,000 additional places needed to meet that demand. Significant progress has been made by the Education Authority, working with my Department, on agreeing solutions with schools to meet that demand through the creation of additional capacity in special schools and new specialist provision in mainstream schools classes. The Education Authority is working closely with sectoral partners and schools to build this necessary capacity into the entire system, and it estimates that some140 special school classes and 100 specialist provision in mainstream schools classes are required for September, with particular pressure again at nursery and primary 1 levels. In an effort to identify existing capacity and readiness, my Department recently asked all schools in Northern Ireland to complete a short survey detailing what resources and support would be needed to stand up classes for September and beyond. I am delighted that there has been a very positive response to the survey, with over 700 schools responding within a very short window to do so. Many indicated a willingness to stand up provision to meet the needs of children in their local community. The results of the survey are being analysed, and that analysis will form a solid evidence base for ensuring that there are sufficient places in the education system, not just for September but beyond. I will update the House further on progress in the coming weeks. Additionally, the ongoing end-to-end review of special educational needs will inform the wider transformation of the whole system, ensuring that children with special educational needs have access to high-quality education and receive the right support delivered by the right people at the right time and in the right place. "Place" is the operative word. It is vital that appropriate places exist for children with statements of special educational needs and that those places are planned in line with the projected need. Therefore, my recent statement to the Assembly indicated the biggest step change to capital planning in a generation, demonstrating my commitment to an ambitious, far-reaching and long-term plan that will require sustained and increased capital investment of around half a billion pounds over the next 10 years. It will lead to increased capacity for special education provision to ensure that every child and young person is happy, learning and succeeding in their educational journey. The capital programme will be transformative for the education system and the lives of our most vulnerable children and their families. It is a priority for my Department to move planning for special educational needs placements from the reactionary year-on-year position to a strategic footing, ensuring that the growing numbers of learners with special educational needs have timely access to appropriate education placements that meet their needs. That process has already commenced with the publication of the EA's special schools and specialist provision in mainstream area planning frameworks in October 2021 and the first-ever regional plan for special education. Titled 'Planning for Special Education Provision: Strategic Area Plan 2022-27', it is commonly known as SESAP. The outworkings of SESAP will be captured in the Education Authority's 'Operational Plan 2', which is being developed and will put the special educational needs learner at the centre. Improving strategic area planning for specialist provision is one of a number of actions to ensure that there are sufficient places for children with special educational needs. Collectively, improving sustainability across our entire school estate, the end-to-end review of special educational needs, the development of an inclusion policy and the recent announcement of a bespoke special needs programme will deliver and secure a better future for all our children with special educational needs across Northern Ireland.

I appreciate the Member's commitment to securing sufficient special education provision in South Down, which the EA has identified as an area of particular pressure, with additional places required in special schools and in specialist provision in mainstream schools. I can confirm that 60 schools in the South Down constituency responded to the recent survey from my officials, over half of which have indicated a willingness to establish new or further provision for September of this year and beyond. You will be aware that capital investment was announced for planning for a much-needed new build for Knockevin Special School. All Members who spoke cited that, and Diane Forsythe and Colin McGrath invited me to visit that school. It was both humbling and a pleasure when I spoke to the principal to advise her that work will commence immediately on the planning that is necessary for the new school. The Education Authority has also been asked to submit proposals for any required extensions to special schools. Those will now be taken forward in the school enhancement programme, and it is envisaged that they will include Rathore School, which the Chair of the Committee, Nick, mentioned. That school is in the neighbouring constituency of Newry and Armagh, but, as he pointed out, it provides special school provision for some children from South Down. Additional land has recently been purchased beside the school, which should provide the growing space that will be necessary. The Education Authority is in discussion with Rathore School regarding potential expansion options for September of this year. A number of solutions have also been agreed in the wider Downpatrick area to provide early years and foundation-stage specialist provision classes for children with severe learning difficulties, as Knockevin Special School has limited capacity for new admissions in the September 2024 school year. Expansion of the provision at Oakwood School's Saintfield site for September 2024 is also actively being progressed. Furthermore, four schools in South Down have confirmed the establishment of new or additional specialist provision in mainstream school classes for September. I assure Members that I, of course, recognise the challenges in the South Down area. Equally, I commend all the special schools, which Members have all spoken highly of, for their education of children for whom mainstream education is not suitable, as well as all the schools that have embraced the opportunity to establish specialist provision to reflect needs in their communities. They enhance the entire school community through the inclusion of our most vulnerable learners. I will pick up on a couple of the points that Members raised in relation to the allied health professionals and engaging with the Department of Health. I assure Members that we engage with the Department of Health to make sure that there is provision, which includes speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists, all of whom are critical to our engagement. I agree with Members and associate myself with their remarks in paying tribute to our support staff, who carry out an invaluable service for those most in need. The Budget that was agreed by the Executive, which will come to the House in a number of weeks, highlighted the desire to seek a resolution to the issue of the pay and grading review. I supported the business case for that, and the Department of Finance has approved it. I have asked the Minister of Finance to engage with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. The Minister of Finance will engage with the Treasury to try to repurpose funding that will be available in future years. It is for the Finance Minister to engage with the Treasury on that issue, but we will continue to try to find a resolution. My deputy permanent secretary has met the trade unions twice. Obviously, I do not support strike action, and I hope that all Members will join me in saying that. Strike action will lead to the closure of special schools, and it will be the most vulnerable children who bear the brunt of strike action. I appeal to the unions not to proceed with that.

The Education Authority is the employing authority with respect to the staff. It has asked the unions for a derogation in respect of the strike action, so that the measures that are being taken do not impact on the most vulnerable children. I appeal to the unions to provide that derogation when it comes to the most vulnerable in society. I hope that they listen to that. I have engaged with the Education Authority's chief executive today. I have engaged with the chairman of the Education Authority to ensure that contingency plans are being put in place so that we mitigate the impacts of the strike action. Examinations are taking place, and we need to ensure that measures are in place to allow them to proceed. As we continue to try to resolve the situation, I do not believe that it is appropriate for strike action to take place in respect of the issue. I will continue to update Members in respect of the issue as events take place in the days and weeks ahead. Obviously, there has been debate about whether there is a crisis. I am clear that, for a family that does not get a place for their child in September, it is a crisis. I also recognise that there are systemic issues when it comes to special educational needs that the Chairman has rightly highlighted as being serious. That is why, since taking up office, I have sought to put in place measures recognising the challenges so that we can get ourselves on the front foot. I have outlined some of the measures that my Department is taking, not just in the short term but so that we get ahead of those challenges in the long term. We are taking forward a number of work streams to put us in proper shape in respect of that. The issue has my attention. It is a priority. I welcome the positive way in which Members are engaging on it. We are making progress and will continue to do so. Hopefully, I have outlined some of the measures that have been taken in South Down. I am happy to continue to provide updates to Members and the House as appropriate.

1,825 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 10:27 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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