Plans to move away from ‘blanket’ one-on-one support for SEN children published

Proposals to move away from “blanket” one-to-one classroom support for children with special educational needs (SEN) in Northern Ireland have been published.

The Education Authority (EA) said the “current rigid approaches” in schools often do not work for children.

Currently, the large majority of children with SEN statements in Northern Ireland have access to one-to-one support from a classroom assistant.

The EA, which manages school services in the region, has said every child who requires one-to-one support will continue to receive it but added there are concerns the current model can isolate some children.

It has launched an eight-week public consultation which would mean schools will have “more flexibility on how to best provide support”.

EA chief transformation officer Tomas Adell said: “The evidence, both in Northern Ireland, and from best practice elsewhere is clear: each day that we continue to operate the current support model for our children and young people with SEN, we accept less than optimal provision for their needs.

“To improve outcomes, it is essential to that we transform and update the current model of support.

“Reform can also bring benefits for classroom assistants, teachers and school communities as a whole.”

The proposals include allowing schools to move away from the “current one-size-fits-all model with its over-reliance on one-to-one classroom assistant support for all children”.

An EA statement said: “Every child who needs one-to-one support will continue to receive it.

“Any changes will be introduced sensitively on an individual basis, through the established annual review process for each child’s provision.

“The current classroom support model cannot properly deliver for children or meet increasing levels of need.

“Faced with this reality, many schools in Northern Ireland have begun to develop alternative approaches to classroom support.

“The reforms set out in the public consultation will help formalise and encourage this approach.”

The EA said alternatives to a “blanket one-to-one support model” would include small group learning sessions, use of different teaching methods, and enhanced access to educational and health specialists.

It said that planned reforms would be implemented gradually over a number of years and will be shaped by input from children, parents, carers, teachers, classroom assistants and school leaders.

The EA said: “The reforms will involve changes to the process for new statements of special educational need.

“Reflecting the more flexible support model, new statements will be focused on the individual needs of each child and will not be overly prescriptive on classroom support options.”

The consultation proposes that implementation of the new classroom support model will start from September.

The EA said it will begin by working with around 150 mainstream schools and 40 special schools in Northern Ireland.

In 2027-2028, rollout will cover schools across two health and social care trust areas and will extend to remaining areas in 2028-29.