Debate contribution: Support for Young Adults with Learning Difficulties and Complex Needs: Mid Ulster

Debate contribution by Mr Robbie Butler on 20 January 2026.

MLA

Mr Robbie Butler

Party at the time

Ulster Unionist Party

Date

20 January 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Adjournment

Heading

Support for Young Adults with Learning Difficulties and Complex Needs: Mid Ulster

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5348948

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I thank Emma Sheerin for securing this important Adjournment debate. I go so far as to say that the subject deserves a full motion and that every party would face the same way in that debate. The difficulties that your constituents in the Northern Trust face are mirrored by those of my constituents in Lagan Valley. I have had some challenges with the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust and have written to successive Ministers, including the one in front of me. He is currently my leader and boss, but I will not hold back in what I will say. I chair the all-party group (APG) on disability and have done for a number of years, so I can evidence my passion for children, young adults and older people with disabilities and learning disabilities. I had the pleasure of acting as vice chair of the APG on learning disability for a number of years, and I am still a very active member of it. We need to put the issue in the full context of why those difficulties exist for our young people who have a learning disability, whether it relates to autism or ADHD, or who have complex needs relating to multiple diagnosable conditions. The reality is, as Nuala McAllister rightly said, children face discrimination and difficulties from birth. Actually, they face difficulties even before birth, because we know — I do not say this to be controversial — that unborn babies with a disability do not enjoy the same protections as a child with no disabilities. That is not my being political; it is the reality for parents who are faced with a question when they are told, "We are sorry to tell you that your baby has a difficulty. An abortion is an option for you." That protection does not exist even before they are born. When the child goes to school, it is worse. I was on the Education Committee when we were faced with outright discrimination and bias against children who needed a statement. There was what was described as a "stovepipe" of thousands and thousands of children across Northern Ireland who could not get a statement, which would have led to them getting the additional help that they needed. What was that down to? It was down to a cultural bias that existed in some places. I am talking about something in the past 10 years, not in the 1800s or 1900s. Fewer than 10 years ago, people were still fighting to get a diagnosis of autism or some other neurodivergent condition for their child. All that people are looking for is a level playing field for their child. It is an all-government problem, because people with learning disabilities, such as pronounced autism and all those conditions, face challenges in every aspect of life. You will be well-versed in Caleb's cause, which was established by Alma White and which looks at post-19 provision, and Ministers — the Economy Minister, the Minister of Health and the Minister of Education — have engaged with that campaign. We are having those conversations, but, at some point, those conversations need to move into answers. They need to move into the space where we can say that every person's life has value and every person should get the help and assistance that they need. I return to the specific issue of respite and care. Emma Sheerin raised a really good challenge to the Minister about direct payment hours and how we allocate those. In reality, I have found that, when I try to represent my constituents, there is sometimes a workforce issue, and I know that the Minister will probably talk to that. It is one of those issues where we have to look at the workforce, value its members and recognise that a really special set of skills and a big heart is required to work with the young people and adults who need that care. I think of their families, and Emma painted an incredible picture of a mum who is an absolute warrior but who is on her knees. There are people who want to do the work, and we need to find a way to recruit, support and remunerate them. I am glad that we have a Health Minister who is absolutely committed and faces the right direction. That is not a party political point; it is why we wanted to take on the Health portfolio and those big challenges, so that we can find solutions that will bring a tangible answer and real change to those people who deserve it.

767 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:16 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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