(UK) NI: 400 disabled children with NO SCHOOL PLACE for Sept; 'failed by education system'

April 17, 2025, Irish News: 400 children with special needs still without a school place

A total of 400 children in Northern Ireland with special educational needs (SEN) still remain without a school place ahead of September.

Alliance MLA Michelle Guy called the matter “deeply concerning” after receiving the figures from the Education Minister Paul Givan, stating the pupils were being “failed by the education system”.

 “Alliance will continue to engage with the Education Authority, the education minister and department to help support the young people affected, and achieve the education they should have by right.”

In his written answer, Mr Givan commented: “While the EA has worked to increase the majority of this capacity across the school estate, there is an assumed pressure of circa 400 places remaining in advance of the new academic year.

“The EA has now commenced a more intensive round of engagements, prior to Easter, with those schools in areas with the greatest demand for capacity to secure the remaining placements in advance of the new academic year.”