Special needs children ‘failed by education system for too long’
Watchdog calls for independent review in critical report into sub-standard service
FAMILIES and children with special educational needs have been failed by a dysfunctional system, a Stormont watchdog has concluded.
A highly-critical report from the Public Accounts Committee accused the Education Authority (EA) of continually delivering a sub-standard service.
It called for an independent external review.
A child has special educational needs (SEN) if they have learning difficulties and are assessed as requiring special help.
Statements are legally binding documents issued by the EA, setting out a child’s needs.
Almost one in five of the school population here is deemed to have SEN. In 2019/20, this equated to 67,224 children — 19,200 have a statement. Most attend mainstream schools.
Last September a report by the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) called for an urgent overhaul of the system.
Auditors found demand was rising with key targets routinely missed. A 26-week deadline for issuing statements was broken for nearly nine out of every 10 children assessed.
A review into issues around assessment has been running for 13 years and cost £3.6m but is incomplete. None of the recommendations from a previous NIAO report, published in 2017, have been fully delivered.
The Audit Office findings have now been considered by the PAC.
It noted that from 2015 to 2020, the department and EA spent more than £1.3bn supporting children with SEN, with costs rising each year.
Committee chair William Humphrey said: “We have been disappointed to find a culture within the Education Authority that has allowed it to continually deliver a sub-standard service for far too long.
“These weaknesses have failed both families and children with Special Educational Needs.”
Mr Humphrey said committee members were surprised to discover that the EA does not know how many children are seeking to access SEN support.
During evidence sessions, the PAC heard that 38% of Statutory Assessments are now exceeding the 26 week timeframe — down from 85% during 2019/20. .
While MLAS welcomed the EA’S commitment to reducing delays, they expressed concern that children and their families had been failed for many years.
The report states: “There have been unacceptable delays in the SEN Statutory Assessment process. The PAC believes there has been a culture within the EA whereby the continued failure of the Statutory Assessment process and the delivery of a sub-optimal service with deep rooted and systemic weaknesses was tolerated for far too long.”
It added: “Whilst the commitment for improvement is welcomed, the committee remains concerned at the number of children that have been failed and how long these failings have been allowed to continue. In PAC’S view there are elements of dysfunctionality within the EA.”
Education Minister Peter Weir said: “My department is giving urgent consideration to the contents and recommendations within the report.
“In response to various reports in this area there is a programme of improvement already under way which has seen a significant improvement in the performance of the Education Authority on SEN statutory assessment and statementing processes in recent months.”
‘A culture within the Education Authority has allowed it to deliver sub-standard service for too long’
MEMBERS of Lisburn and Castlereagh council have firmly rejected a motion calling for a new bilingual street sign policy.
Sinn Fein councillor Ryan Carlin brought the proposal to the full council meeting this week.
Under the policy, the council could erect a sign if more than 15% of residents were in favour of it.
It would also have required only one resident or their local councillor to make a request for a bilingual street sign.
Before the Sinn Fein councillor read the motion, he thanked the council in Gaelic for bringing it forward, causing DUP councillor Uel Mackin to intervene, asking: “Mr Mayor, what is he saying?” It led to Lisburn Castlereagh Mayor Nicholas Trimble to ask for calm in the chamber, saying there should be “no further outbursts” for members.
Mr Trimble did ask Mr Carlin to speak in English during the motion’s “salient points”, however.
Mr Carlin added that the Irish Language was “alive and well” within the council area, saying the council had one of the “most restrictive policies” anywhere in Northern Ireland.
However, members said the policy was “divisive” and “undemocratic”.
DUP councillor Alan Givan said the motion would cause “adverse community tensions” in Lisburn and Castlereagh, saying his party would be voting against the motion.
He added: “Some people would regard the addition of a Irish sign as cultural branding of an area.
“The motion allowing 15% to make that decision, overriding the 85% of an area who wishes would’ve been overridden, that would be unfair and undemocratic.”
SDLP councillor John Mccarthy called for the councillor to back the motion, saying it would be “human rights compliant” and take into consideration those who speak minority languages.
Alliance proposed an alternative to Sinn Fein’s motion, adding while the party remained “supportive” towards Irish language, it would cause “disharmony”
for residents. Alliance councillor Aaron Mcintyre said: “The fact that no enquiries have been made to the council for dual signs demonstrates either there is no demand for change, or that this council can be more proactive in highlighting the current policy.
“Alliance supports and embraces the Irish language, recognising its importance as part of our shared history and identity.”
Thirty-four councillors from the DUP, UUP and Alliance Party voted against the motion, with five Sinn Fein, SDLP and Green Party in favour.
Mr Carlin said that it was “extremely disappointing” that members had blocked the change to the bilingual street signage policy.