AQW 31020/22-27

Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 12/09/2025
Answered On Date: 23/09/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to detail why Local Impact Teams were not fully staffed and operational for the start of the new academic year.

Answer:

The SEND Local IMPACT Team (LiT) model was developed on a budget neutral basis, so no expansion of the underlying staffing cohort was planned for September 2025. EA-wide recruitment constraints also meant that the backfilling of vacancies was delayed at the end of last term, but this work is now underway. Above and beyond ‘business as usual’ recruitment to backfill, an additional cohort of approximately 30 FTE specialist teachers will also be required in order for the LiT Network to be at an operational capacity that is sustainable over the long-term.

All frontline staff from the pre-cursor services transitioned into their respective LiTs on 20th August. Moderation Panels began at that point to allocate support to children carried over from the end of last term with direct engagement with the relevant Learning Support Coordinators/ SEN co-ordinators (SENCos) immediately following on to allow frontline support to begin from the start of term. The SENCo portal was then opened for the submission of new ‘Requests for Involvement’ on the 15th September alongside the revised SEND Central contact model which includes access to a ‘one stop shop’ online query form and specialist advice and guidance helpline for SENCos.