Debate contribution: SEN Reform and Classroom Assistant Provision

Debate contribution by Mr Gordon Lyons on 9 March 2026.

MLA

Mr Gordon Lyons

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

9 March 2026

Type

Debate contribution (made as a minister)

Business

Opposition Business

Heading

SEN Reform and Classroom Assistant Provision

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5453595

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. As you said, I am responding today on behalf of the Minister of Education, who has repeatedly emphasised to the Executive that transforming our education system to meet the needs of our children and young people with special educational needs is, and will continue to be, one of his highest strategic priorities. Transformation, in its very essence, requires us to be courageous. It requires us to question long-established practices, and it requires our unwavering commitment to building a system that is centred on what works best for our children and young people. For too long, our SEN system has struggled to deliver the outcomes that our children and young people deserve. The evidence is consistent and clear. The current model is not working as well as it should, nor is it delivering outcomes that are comparable with those in other jurisdictions. We cannot and must not accept that. In February 2025, the Minister published his SEN reform agenda and delivery plan, which was the most ambitious programme of SEN reform in a generation, setting a clear and determined vision for ensuring that children and young people with special educational needs can truly thrive in their education. Since then, he has continued to seek the commitment of ministerial colleagues to deliver the level of transformation that is required. Following publication of the SEN reform agenda, work has focused on two key priorities: implementing the enabling actions that underpin system-wide reform; and progressing the delivery of the year 1 commitments. I am pleased to report that, in the first year, significant progress has been made. The statutory assessment process has been streamlined and digitised, providing a more timely and efficient service for families. The EA has also published its graduated response framework, established local impact teams and released operational plan 2, which prioritises area planning for special education provision. In addition, individual special schools' plans of action have been co-designed and published. Taken together, those actions represent substantial steps forward in improving the system's responsiveness, effectiveness and coherence in meeting each child's needs. The Minister recently wrote to all mainstream schools, urging them to engage constructively with the EA where they have been identified as suitable to facilitate a specialist provision. The letter emphasised that the EA had developed an enhanced package of support to ensure that schools were fully equipped and adequately supported throughout the process. That further emphasises the commitment to ensuring that all children with a statement of SEN have a school placement that is appropriate to meet their needs and in a school in their locality. In 2025, a total of 1,374 additional special education places were created across the education system. That included 29 new classes and special schools and 128 specialist provision classes in mainstream schools. I take the opportunity to express the Education Minister's appreciation to the schools that have worked so diligently to make that happen. They have demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring that every child in their community receives a school place that meets their needs, and we are grateful for that. I turn to the focus of today and the cornerstone of SEN reform, which is the transformation of support for children with a statement of SEN. At present, our approach relies heavily on an almost universal model of one-to-one classroom assistant support for a child who has a statement, yet we now have a growing body of research and evidence showing that that approach, while well intentioned, does not consistently deliver the best outcomes. In some cases, it can even be counterproductive. It can unintentionally create dependency, it can reduce the amount of time that children spend learning with a qualified teacher and it often places classroom assistants in situations that go far beyond their training or remit. Crucially, that approach does not consistently deliver improved outcomes for children and young people with SEN. The evidence tells us that support in the classroom is most effective when classroom assistants are part of an integrated, whole-class approach that strengthens teacher leadership, encourages peer interaction and ensures that support is flexible, targeted and genuinely needs-led.

Yes, I will give way at that point.

We are saying that the system does not work. That is why change is required and why we need to have additional provision. In a second, I will come on to some of the comments that the Member and others made. International best practice reaffirms and reinforces that message. The strongest systems for learners with SEN all share key characteristics: early identification, multidisciplinary support, school-led decision-making and tailored interventions designed around the needs of each child. We need to move in that direction and shift away from what we have to a model that builds independence, empowers school leaders, utilises classroom assistants more effectively and delivers high-quality, consistent training and professional standards. Let me be clear, because this has been raised during the debate. It is not about reducing support; it is about improving it.

It is about ensuring that the support that we provide genuinely helps children to thrive. Our aim must always be to deliver the best possible outcomes for children and young people. Schools have told the Minister and the Department that they want a more flexible, child-centred model that respects their professional judgement and allows them to make the decisions that they know are right for their learners. They also want freedom within their schools budgets to allocate resources where they can have the greatest impact for our children and young people with SEN. That is why the enhanced support model is so important.

For some children and young people with a statement of SEN, a one-to-one classroom assistant will continue to be the most appropriate approach to meeting their needs. Importantly, that will continue. It is important that we do not send out the wrong message, namely that that provision will be taken away. If it is right for the child, it will remain in place.

I am tight for time, but I will if he is very brief.

The Minister is not focusing on this as a budget-saving exercise. Of course, it will be important to make sure that the system that is in place is sustainable. Most importantly, we need to make sure that this is right for children. That is what this is all about. Evidence has demonstrated that other models of support can be more effective in supporting children, so let us go for what actually works. From what I have heard in the Chamber today, some people believe that a one-size-fits-all model is the right thing. From what they have said in the Chamber today, some believe that the status quo is working. I do not believe that that is right, nor does the Education Minister, which is why he is moving to this enhanced support model. Where one-to-one support is appropriate, that will continue; where something better can be put in place, it will be. That is why we need to be brave on this. We need to collaborate with schools that are already implementing innovative approaches to providing support, but effective communication is key, and the EA will, along with the Department, engage extensively with parents and carers and classroom assistants as well as other major stakeholders. We need to support classroom assistants better. They play an integral role. That needs to continue, but we need to invest in them. We need to make sure that we have clearer roles and responsibilities, structured professional development, high-quality specialised training and, importantly, appropriate pay and progression pathways that recognise the skill and importance of their work. That is what this Minister is committed to because that is what a modern, effective, child-centred SEN system looks like, and it is what our children, parents and schools deserve. I emphasise that collaboration is important. A full public consultation will issue very soon to all stakeholders to ensure that parents, carers, children and young people, school leaders, teachers and classroom assistants will be able to have their say. All that feedback will be reviewed to ensure that the final model is able to provide an evidence-based, whole-school and child-centred model of delivery. This is the moment to take difficult decisions, be bold and transform. Above all, this is the moment to do what is right for our children and young people with special educational needs.

1,399 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:06 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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