NI Education Minister announces new SEN Reform Agenda and five-year Delivery Plan

Following a recent announcement in the Assembly, Education Minister for Northern Ireland, Paul Givan has today published the Special Educational Needs (SEN) Reform Agenda and five-year Delivery Plan. 

The publications set out a programme of reform of services and provision to support children and young people with special educational needs.

Paul Givan said: “This is the most ambitious programme of SEN reform in a generation. The SEN Reform Agenda and five-year Delivery Plan set out the actions that are needed to ensure that children and young people with SEN can benefit from greater inclusion and receive the right support from the right people at the right time and in the right place."

Commenting on the publication, David Collingwood, President of the Association of Educational Psychologists (AEP), said: 
“We welcome the publication today of the Special Educational Needs (SEN) Reform Agenda and Delivery Plan. This report marks a significant step forward in improving the provision and support available to children and young people with SEN across Northern Ireland. 

“As professionals committed to ensuring every child can thrive, we recognise the importance of the changes outlined today. We believe the proposed reforms have the potential to enhance early identification of need, improve collaboration between the different services and professionals that support children and young people, improve inclusion and offer more tailored support to young people and families.  

“We are especially encouraged by the emphasis on expanding the educational psychology workforce to meet increasing demand and are eager to learn more about the specifics of how this will be achieved and the scale of the expansion described. The aims to improve parental confidence in the system and to support staff's ability to meet the increasing needs are also a positive step. 

“Educational psychologists are essential to early intervention, statutory assessments, and multidisciplinary collaboration within schools and local communities. Addressing the significant recruitment challenges facing our profession will be vital in achieving the ambitions set out in today’s plan. 

“We look forward to working with the Department of Education and other partners to successfully implement these ambitious reforms, ensuring they bring lasting, meaningful change for children with SEN and their families in Northern Ireland.”