AQO 378/22-27

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 18/04/2024
Answered On Date: 30/04/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to outline what steps he is taking to ensure Special Educational Needs schools are fully resourced to deal with the rising demand for school places.

Answer:

Department budgets for 2024-25 were recently agreed by the Northern Ireland Executive.

Over the past number of years, Special Educational Needs (SEN) costs have continued to increase year-on-year, with an anticipated c£156m required in 2024-25 to meet increasing demand and to take forward a Transformation Programme for SEN.

As part of the department's 2024-25 budget bids, I have sought the necessary funding required to ensure that special schools and the wider system are effectively resourced for this incoming academic year. The full amount of funding sought has not been met.