Debate contribution: Post-19 Special Educational Needs Support

Debate contribution by Mr Philip McGuigan on 18 May 2026.

MLA: Mr Philip McGuigan
Party at the time: Sinn Féin
Date: 18 May 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Opposition Business
Heading: Post-19 Special Educational Needs Support
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5548866

Text

Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.
I will speak in favour of the motion and, in particular, to our amendment. As Cara did, I acknowledge at the outset the work of Alma White and the other Caleb's cause campaigners in raising the issue and setting the political agenda. I welcome all who are in the Public Gallery. Alma's determination, courage and persistence have, along with the rest of the campaign group, ensured that the voices of families caring for young people with special educational needs, additional needs and complex needs can no longer be ignored. For too many families across the North, the transition out of school and children's services at the age of 19 is not a transition but, as Cara said, a cliff edge. One day, there is structure, therapy, transport, educational provision, respite and coordinated support; the next day, families are left to navigate fragmented adult services, between Departments and on inconsistent pathways, often without guidance or protection. I have listened to parents tell me about the years that they spent preparing their child for adulthood only to watch statutory support disappear overnight when school ended. That, surely, is not fair; it is certainly not what families deserve. Young people with special educational needs have the same aspirations as everyone else. They want opportunities to learn, to contribute, to build relationships, to participate in their communities and to live with dignity and purpose. In reality, the options available to many young people post 19 are non-existent or far too limited. Many young people move into university, further education and employment, while those with profound or complex needs often face a future in which little meaningful provision is available to them. Families are left to battle for support services and appropriate placements, often reaching crisis point before help arrives. Unlike in England, where, as we have heard, education, health and care plans will continue until the age of 25, there is no equivalent statutory protection in the North once a young person turns 19. Whilst other parts of these islands have developed varying levels of post-19 support, families here continue to face uncertainty and inconsistency. That is why our amendment is important and adds to the motion. It recognises that the issue cannot sit in one Department. It is not solely an education issue; it is not solely a health issue. It is about health, education, skills, employment, independent living, social care, transport and family support. That requires a genuinely joined-up cross-departmental response. Our amendment therefore calls on the Minister of Health who, I am disappointed to say, will not be responding to the motion, to lead on the issue and to begin the necessary preparatory work, ahead of the next mandate, to develop legislation that supports post-19 adults with special educational needs or additional and complex needs in all aspects of their lives. It also calls on the Minister of Health to work proactively with the Minister for the Economy and the Minister of Education to develop legislative proposals that facilitate proper transition planning for young people, post 19, and address the issue of the loss of statutory support once a young person leaves children's services. Families should not be left abandoned and frustrated between Departments, and young people should not lose support simply because they reach an arbitrary age threshold. I acknowledge the important work that has been undertaken by my party colleague Caoimhe Archibald, the Minister for the Economy, who is here to respond to the motion. Under her leadership, the Department for the Economy undertook a review of post-school provision for SEN learners, engaging with parents, schools, colleges, advocacy organisations and community groups that had been calling for change for years. That work has already helped to bring forward proposals that are aimed at improving access to further and higher education; strengthening support in colleges and training programmes; improving careers advice and transition planning; and exploring how apprenticeships can be made more accessible for young people with additional needs. Importantly, there has been a commitment to developing a dedicated transition support service so that families are not left to navigate the challenges alone. Those are positive changes, but families also need leadership from the Department of Health. It is therefore deeply disappointing that the Health Minister has stated that there is insufficient time in the mandate to bring forward the necessary legislation. Families have waited long enough. At the very least, preparatory work should begin on meaningful legislative change that can be progressed in the next mandate. Parents should not have to lie awake at night wondering what will happen to their son or daughter when they are no longer there to provide care. Families deserve accessible, reliable, specialist support services —
— that respond consistently to their needs.

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

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