AQW 29266/22-27

Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 25/06/2025
Answered On Date: 09/07/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to detail any action his Department is taking to improve the early screening and identification of (i) dyslexia; and (ii) dyscalculia, in school age children.

Answer:

Early actions from the SEN Reform Agenda will see the implementation of a Graduated Response Framework and roll out of Education Authority (EA) Local IMPACT Teams from September 2025. Both of these actions will see earlier identification and support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN).

The EA Language and Communication Service has a range of resources and training to support schools in early identification, assessment and intervention in areas including developmental and expressive language and phonological development such as the EA Literacy Inclusion Toolkit, assistive technology software and training modules for schools supporting numeracy difficulties.