Nicola Grant Workers Party Regional Spokesperson calls out the Health Minister over Educational Plans for Special needs children leaving the Education Sector.
Ms Grant said it was disgraceful that children with special needs who would be leaving school this year without an education plan until they are twenty-five in line with what happens in other regions of the United Kingdom. To say there is not enough time during this mandate to provide the legislation that would change the law is ridiculous, very little legislation has been introduced through our Legislative Assembly, so it cannot be a case of a log jam. Parents and organisations supporting them have been lobbying the government for over two years on this issue.
Ms Grant said there was ,and she believes still is time ,to bring the legislation to the floor and have it voted through. These young people and their parents are being let down by our political system and it is just not good enough. Children with special needs who have grown in confidence and abilities within the education system, may well regress at this sudden change in their daily routine and the structure and environment they have been accustomed to. Parents are at their wits end about what is going to happen when their children’s education journey ends.
Ms Grant added children and parents in Northern are not receiving the same standard of support as the rest of United Kingdom. In relation to special needs or child care. Our children are continually losing out on educational and other opportunities. It is time to end these differentials in provision once and for all, our children and young people deserve better. The Workers Party fully supports the demands for the change in the law for those leaving special needs education in the coming months and the introduction of education plans until the reach the age of twenty-five. The is another prime example of the lack of joined up government in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Executive.