Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education for his assessment of the adequacy of support for young adults with special educational needs after transitioning from children’s services to adult services.
Minister of Education: On 13 January 2025, I set out my vision for reform of the provision of support for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) in the Northern Ireland Assembly. This included a focus on transitions planning and pathways for young people with SEN leaving education throughout the lifetime of the SEN Reform Agenda and Delivery Plan.
It is clear for young people with SEN that consideration of their future needs will require a collaborative approach across departments to the design and delivery of post-16 and post-19 services, alongside an investment to address the increasing numbers and changing profile of needs.
Officials from across the departments of Health (DoH, Education (DE), Communities (DfC) and Economy (DfE) will continue to work together with young people and families to identify improvements, create better ways of working and to share information.
ENDS
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