AQO 2589/22-27

Mr Eóin Tennyson
Alliance Party
Upper Bann

Tabled Date: 09/10/2025
Answered On Date: 22/10/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to detail the cost breakdown of the nine Special Educational Needs Transformation projects to be funded by the £27.5 million received from the Interim Public Services Transformation Board.

Answer:

The nine Special Educational Needs (SEN) Transformation projects to be funded from the ring-fenced funding of £27.5m 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.

The costings for each project are indicative and subject to change as the projects progress, with some subject to final proposals from delivery partners. The working detail of costings are not planned for publication; however, there will be full transparency and accountability on expenditure.