AQO 3916/22-27

Mrs Michelle Guy
Alliance Party
Lagan Valley

Tabled Date: 03/09/2026
Answered On Date: 15/09/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education for an update on the waiting list to access support through the Education Authority's Local IMPACT Teams.

Answer:

The Education Authority (EA) has advised that, as of 03 September 2026, a total of 2,623 children are awaiting support from Local IMPACT Teams across Northern Ireland.

By Health Trust area, this comprises of 535 children in the Belfast Trust, 465 in the Northern Trust, 420 in the South Eastern Trust, 668 in the Western Trust, and 535 in the Southern Trust.

In recognising that the demand for services currently exceeds available capacity in some areas, the EA continues to invest in and strengthen Local IMPACT Teams. This includes a clear focus on increasing workforce capacity, maximising the use of specialist expertise, and ensuring support is delivered as early and effectively as possible.

This ongoing work will help to create a more responsive and sustainable system of support, ensuring that resources are targeted where they can have the greatest impact and enabling more children and young people with special educational needs to access the support they need at the earliest possible stage.