Help re-shape SEN classroom support

And there's still time to have your say, with the public consultation running until Friday May 22.

Information on the Education Authority consultation and how to submit a response can be found here: Enhanced Support Model - Public Consultation | Education Authority Northern Ireland.

The aim of the planned reforms is to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEN.

EA has set out how this can be achieved through changing current rigid approaches to classroom support.

It is proposing to give schools more flexibility to tailor support to individual needs. Rather than adopting the current "one size fits all" model with its over reliance on individual classroom assistants at all stages, schools will be able to adapt support to the needs of their pupils with SEN at each stage of their development. 

As part of the public consultation process, a series of information sessions has been held, both online and in-person.

Tomas Adell, EA's Chief Transformation Officer, said: “We are very encouraged by the strong interest in the public consultation and the positive engagement with stakeholders.

“I would encourage everyone with an interest in SEN education to make their voices heard.

“This is a really important opportunity to make lasting changes that benefit children and young people.”