Education Minister Paul Givan has set out Northern Ireland’s first standalone Policy Statement on Special Educational Needs (SEN), promising clearer guidance for schools, parents and health partners. The document, published today, defines statutory duties, restates pupils’ rights and links SEN provision to the wider TransformED strategy. With almost one in five pupils now identified as having a special need, the move could shape how thousands of children experience school life.
By formalising what was previously scattered across legislation, codes of practice and departmental circulars, the Minister hopes to create a “consistent, child-centred” system. Yet many practical questions—particularly around funding, staffing and accountability—remain open.
Clearer roles and legal footing
The 16-page statement (to be read alongside the five-year Delivery Plan published in February) reaffirms:
- All children with SEN are entitled to an education that is “inclusive, ambitious and tailored”.
- Boards of governors, principals and classroom teachers retain the day-to-day duty to identify needs and provide reasonable adjustments; the Education Authority (EA) continues to hold statutory responsibility for assessments and statements.
- Health and Social Care Trusts must collaborate with schools where therapy or medical input is required.
- The framework aligns with the Children and Young People’s Strategy and the Executive’s draft Programme for Government.
Announcing the policy, Mr Givan said, “We are placing children and young people at the centre of this work. Their voices and their rights matter.” He thanked families and professionals who contributed during the End-to-End Review of SEN.
What we still do not know
While the statement clarifies who is responsible, it is silent on how those duties will be financed or monitored:
- No budget figures are attached, despite SEN expenditure rising to £427 million in 2023–24 (Department of Education, provisional out-turn).
- There is no timeline for reducing assessment backlogs; parents currently report waits of 18 months or more for statutory statements.
- The document cites “training” for staff but gives no detail on workforce targets, CPD hours or funding for substitute cover.
- Outcome measures—attendance, attainment, post-school destinations—are not specified, making it hard to judge future success.
Broader pressures on the system
The new policy arrives amid well-documented challenges:
- Teacher vacancies in special schools doubled between 2019 and 2024 (General Teaching Council NI).
- Tribunal appeals against EA decisions rose 35 % last year, signalling parental frustration (Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal annual report 2024).
- Mainstream schools face real-terms funding cuts, raising concerns about their capacity to deliver inclusive education.
It would be helpful to know how the Department intends to mesh this policy with wider reforms on class sizes, mental-health support and post-16 transitions.
Questions that merit further attention
- How will the Department measure whether the new framework improves learning and wellbeing outcomes for pupils with SEN?
- What extra resources—financial or staffing—will be directed to schools to meet the clarified duties?
- Will the EA be given specific deadlines to process statutory assessments and placements more quickly?
- How will the policy interact with the ongoing review of restraint and seclusion practices in schools?
- Why does the statement not address high exclusion rates among pupils with social, emotional and behavioural needs?
Where to read the full documents
The Policy Statement, Delivery Plan and associated materials are available on the Department’s website. Interested readers can access the SEN Reform Agenda and Delivery Plan for detailed proposals and timelines.
What happens next
The Department is expected to publish implementation guidance and updated training schedules later this autumn. Oversight committees at Stormont will likely examine how the statement aligns with forthcoming Budget decisions. Parents and practitioners should monitor these developments—particularly any commitments on staffing and assessment backlogs—to gauge whether the promise of “inclusion, equity and excellence” will translate into everyday classroom reality.