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SEN School Leavers Treated as 'Price Tag'
4 Jun
Summary
- Mothers describe SEN transition from school as unclear and fractured.
- Northern Ireland lacks an equivalent to England's Education, Health and Care plan.
- An IQ threshold of 70 creates barriers to adult disability services.
Young individuals with Special Educational Needs (SEN) in Northern Ireland face a "fractured" and "unclear" transition from school to adult life, with parents feeling their children are treated as a "price tag." Mothers shared their concerns with MLAs, emphasizing the stark contrast in opportunities available to SEN school leavers compared to their neurotypical counterparts.
A significant issue is the absence of a statutory Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which exists in England and provides support up to age 25. Northern Ireland's system is described as lacking joined-up collaboration between health trusts and education departments.
Furthermore, an IQ threshold of 70 can create barriers to accessing adult disability services, even for those with identified learning difficulties or SEN statements. This distinction leaves some young people in a support gap, considered too able for some services but too dependent to cope independently.
Parents are campaigning for a plan that offers a statutory pathway into further education or training. They argue that the current system's inequities, which have persisted for decades, are deeply anxiety-inducing and that education support needs to continue until at least 25, mirroring lifelong health and social care intervention.
