Special needs education within the education system - United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

Special needs education within the education system

SEN provision is matched to the individual needs of the child.  Provision may be made in special schools, designed, for example, for children with particular needs eg Severe learning Difficulties (SLD), Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD); in special units attached to mainstream schools or in mainstream classes themselves.  It may consist of home or hospital tuition, pre-school support or placement outside Northern Ireland.  In Northern Ireland there are 44 special schools (including 2 hospital schools) and approximately 170 special units attached to around 100 mainstream schools, which cater for a wide range of special educational needs.  Units make specialist provision for needs such as; Autism; speech, language and communication difficulties; hearing impairment; moderate learning difficulties.

SEN Review

A current policy review of special educational needs and inclusion within the Department of Education has considered issues within the existing framework around unacceptable levels of bureaucracy attached to the statutory assessment process, the need for early identification and prompt interventions and capacity building in mainstream schools.  The draft policy proposals arising from the Review were presented to the Education Committee on 23 May 2008.  Due to the cross cutting nature of the draft policy proposals, the SEN and Inclusion Review’s Policy Proposals Consultation Document are to be considered by the Executive, prior to issue for public consultation. It is hoped that this will happen before the end of the current academic year (2009/10).