EA Youth Service launches Task and Finish Group to strengthen SEND youth provision

The group will lead a comprehensive review to ensure that youth services across Northern Ireland continue to meet the needs of all young people in line with current legislation, policy frameworks and the EA’s strategic priorities for youth work.

The Task and Finish Group will bring together representatives from the Education Authority, the Department of Education and voluntary youth sector SEND youth providers, to examine how best to support children and young people with SEND to access and participate fully in youth work and identify the outcomes and benefits they should achieve through that participation.

The group’s work will focus on:

• Establishing a vision for youth work for children and young people with SEND
• Developing a youth service framework for assessing the needs of young people with SEND
• Creating clear pathways for young people to access SEND youth services
• Establishing a baseline of effective provision currently offered
• Determining the resources required to deliver provision
• Identifying good practice locally and internationally

The work will begin in December 2025 and is expected to conclude by Summer 2026, with recommendations informing future youth work planning and funding from April 2027.

Arlene Kee, Assistant Director for Youth Services said:

“We are committed to ensuring that all young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, have access to high-quality and inclusive youth provision. The establishment of this Task and Finish Group marks an important step in developing a consistent and evidence-informed approach to SEND youth provision across Northern Ireland.

We look forward to working collaboratively with the Department of Education and voluntary youth organisations to shape a youth service that supports children and young people with SEND.”

The EA Youth Service is inviting expressions of interest from youth providers currently delivering youth programmes for children and young people with SEND to join the Task and Finish Group. Spaces within the group are limited and will be allocated to ensure balanced regional and local representation.  Expressions of Interest should be made to youthoperations@eani.org.uk. 

All youth organisations can contribute to the work of the Task and Finish Group and will be invited to take part in consultations and focus groups during the review process. Further details will be shared on the EA Funding website.