AQW 50629/22-27

Mrs Michelle Guy
Alliance Party
Lagan Valley

Tabled Date: 01/09/2026
Answered On Date: 03/09/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to detail the number of children being supported through the Early Childhood Special Educational Needs Intervention Programme.

Answer:

Not all Special Educational Needs (SEN) Reform Delivery Plan early childhood intervention programmes directly support children, of those that do:

180 children will be supported across three years in the targeted programme for 2-3-year-olds;

the Learning Support Trial is commencing this month. The number of children who will receive support cannot be projected as the trial will respond to the needs of children as they present.

the Inclusive Play programme will support children in 48 settings across the three years of the project. The exact number of children who will receive support cannot be projected as enrolment levels and number of children attending each setting are likely to vary throughout the lifetime of the project.