AQW 17854/22-27

Ms Kate Nicholl
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 08/11/2024
Answered On Date: 21/11/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to detail any engagement he has had with the Minster for the Economy in relation to data sharing around special educational needs and support requirements for relevant people moving from schools to further or higher education.

Answer:

I am committed to ensuring that young people with statements of special educational needs (SEN) are supported in their transition from school into adulthood, including progression into institutions of further or higher education.

To further this work, my department and the Department of Health (DoH) jointly chair a Transitions Working Group supported by officials from the Departments for the Economy (DfE) and Communities (DfC). The purpose of the group is to understand the experiences and perceptions of the transitions planning process to ensure that there are clear and appropriate pathways for young people with SEN and/or disability across further and higher education, training or employment.

Officials have been working closely to ensure structures are in place to share data that is captured across the system and explore how this can be better used to inform planning of provisions for children and young people with SEN and disabilities.

My department is also working closely with colleagues from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) on the Education Outcomes Linkage project.

As the End to End (E2E) Review of SEN concludes and we move forward into the delivery phase, the capturing of data to monitor improved outcomes for children and young people with SEN will be critical and I will be engaging with Executive colleagues as this progresses.