AQW 24357/22-27

Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 13/03/2025
Answered On Date: 19/03/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to detail any specific special educational needs transformation projects that will be delivered using the funding received from the Interim Public Services Transformation Board.

Answer:

The Finance Minister confirmed ring-fenced funding of £27.5m for Special Educational Needs (SEN) Transformation to my department on 4 March 2025 as recommended by the Interim Public Services Transformation Board.

The SEN Transformation proposals to be funded from the Transformation funding are focused on two strands:

Strand 1 - ‘Right Support at the Right Time for Children & Young People & Parents/Families’ – focuses on early intervention and includes seven projects to be developed and trialled which will test outcomes for children with emerging SEN, as follows:

Transforming the Statutory Assessment Process;

Transformation of Support Model;

Establish and deliver a pilot Early Childhood SEN Intervention Programme;

Establish and deliver a pilot Speech, Language & Communications Intervention Toolkit & Programme;

Transforming Inclusive Play Environments;

Adopt and trial the Early Intervention Nurture Programme into an Enhanced ‘Nurture Plus’ Programme;

Special Schools as Resource Centres of Expertise (pilot).

Strand 2 – ‘Right People’ – focuses on building a skilled and confident workforce and includes two pilots:

Design & Trial a Teacher & Classroom Assistant Professional Learning Programme;

Design & Trial an Inclusive Capacity Building Programme.