Special Educational Needs school places in Northern Ireland: Mum expresses ‘unbelieveable relief’ after securing nursery place for son who has autism

The Lisburn mum contacted the News Letter to explain how anxious she was about being unable to secure a place for her three-year-old son, Robin.

However, after the paper contacted the Education Authority (EA) on Friday morning, by lunchtime the issue had been resolved.

"The relief is unbelievable!" she said. "It took a lot of effort to get here. But unfortunately Robin isn't the only child this will happen to this week. We have good news now but I am still heart broken for the rest of the three-year-olds. Changes are needed. "

Her son was given a Special Educational Needs (SEN) certificate from the EA, which stated that a special school would be best for him.

She lobbied for him to attend the new SEN Space nursery for children with additional needs in Dunmurry, however the EA placed him in a mainstream nursery instead.

"He attended this nursery on Wednesday for one hour and was not settled and or distraught,” she told the News Letter. “But when when I collected him the principal told me Robin couldn't come for the rest of the week because he needs one-to-one support and she didn't have the staff to look after him."

Rebecca poured out her experience and frustrations on social media.

"My post has now been shared 955 times with 1719 interactions and 282 comments. It is clear many other families are in the same boat.

"Our children with additional needs are not being given special places and the mainstream schools don't want them - they aren't qualified or trained so they don't understand or accommodate them.

"So where do children with additional needs in Northern Ireland belong?"

The News Letter contacted the EA about her situation on Friday morning. By lunchtime an overjoyed Rebecca contacted us to say that Robin's place had been approved at her first choice nursery setting of SEN Space in Dunmurry.

An Education Authority spokesperson said: “We fully understand the anxiety of parents/carers and the impact on those children and young people awaiting confirmation. The Education Authority (EA) continues to work to ensure all children with a statement of SEN receive a placement which fully meets their needs to ensure that they are happy, learning and succeeding, and this remains our top priority.”

Emma Morgan of parent led advocacy group SEN Reform NI said there are “huge problems” with nursery places for children with special needs..

"A lack of suitable SEN settings, inadequate planning for supports in mainstream schools and a complete failure in communication has led to parents’ frustration with the Education Authority,” she said.

"Parents are telling us of their stress this situation is having on their families, with an inability to plan for their employment and some parents having to leave their jobs to become full time carers.

“The situation with the SEN system is at crisis point, with an approach from the Education Authority akin to fire-fighting. With no clear plan of how to support children for early intervention and a complete failure in communication.”

In July DUP Education spokesperson and Upper Bann MLA Diane Dodds met the Education Authority about the "annual chaos" in Special Educational Needs allocations.

While acknowledging "unprecedented cuts" in education she said the briefing "confirmed for me that there has been a lack of preparation and planning within the Education Authority".

This meant that hundreds of NI children are "consistently left year after year fighting tooth and nail to know the details of their next school, assistance provision and transport".

• The EA has provided a link with full breakdown of updated placement data, work to date and its long term strategic area plan: https://send.eani.org.uk/statutory-assessment/school-placements