AQW 7501/16-21

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 21/11/2016
Answered On Date: 06/12/2016
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education what is the average length of time a child with speech and language issues that is starting primary one has to wait until the appropriate support is provided in the classroom.

Answer:

The SEN Code of Practice requires every school to put relevant and purposeful measures in place for any pupil who presents with an identified special educational need. This includes those identified with speech and language difficulties.

The class teacher will immediately implement a range of appropriate support strategies when a pupil is identified and will liaise with the school’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator as required. School-based support will be monitored and reviewed on an ongoing basis. This will include liaising with parents in relation to accessing relevant Health-based advice/support/intervention.

For pupils whose needs are not met through these measures, after suitable review and consultation, a school may decide to refer the pupil for further assessment or input from appropriate Education Authority (EA) services. Any input from external EA services will complement and build on school-based measures.

EA can provide advice, training and support from a range of services which, together with the relevant and purposeful measures put in place by a school, will result in a continuum of provision accessed according to identified need.