Covid-19: MLAs call for more lockdown support for SEN pupils

MLAs have called for children with special educational needs (SEN) to continue to receive education and therapies during lockdowns.

They backed a motion from Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle after an assembly debate.

Stormont's Education Committee previously heard essential services for many young people with disabilities "went to zero overnight" in lockdowns.

They were also told Northern Ireland should be "ashamed" of the way some vulnerable children had been treated.

Unlike in 2020, special schools have remained open to pupils since the start of term in January.

But some have said their pupils can only attend part time - for two days a week - on a temporary basis.

Many children with SEN also attend mainstream schools.

Proposing the motion Mr Lyttle, who also chairs the Education Committee, said the pandemic had meant many vulnerable children with SEN and their families had not received vital support.

"This motion calls on the education minister to work with the executive to ensure that adequate contingency support is always in place for any further lockdown," he said.

DUP MLA William Humphrey said pupils who attended special schools were among the most vulnerable children in society.

"Moving school and the regularity of a classroom from their daily lives is devastating for them and their parents," he said.

UUP MLA Robbie Butler said closing special schools was detrimental to pupils' physical and mental health.

"It's absolutely imperative that every single mitigation and safety measure that can be implemented is implemented," he said.

The absence of support for children with SEN could cause "major emotional and behavioural difficulties", said Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn.

"It is deeply upsetting that in addition to the school that a range of vital wraparound services from a health and social care perspective were also withdrawn," she said.

But SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan said it was "entirely unacceptable" that there had been what he said was a "severe lack of expert-led guidance and support" for principals and staff in special schools.

"It is not the case that the minister is unaware of these concerns," he said.

Green Party MLA Clare Bailey said that parents, staff and teachers had been "left in limbo and despair".

In response, Education Minister Peter Weir said he had proposed to the executive that special school staff should be prioritised for vaccination against coronavirus.

He said that a paper he had brought to the executive would be discussed on Thursday.

"There needs to be a particular prioritization of those working in special schools," he said.

"They need to be part of the current phase, they need to be designated as carers to be able to have that vaccination done.

"Vaccination, particularly for special schools, is the game changer, more than any other single intervention.

"It is the one thing that can give confidence."

He admitted that staff in special schools were facing challenges but said it was important pupils could attend.

"It is absolutely critical to the lives of those children and the lives of those families that they are in school," he said.

The motion called on the minister to "ensure a minimum level of consistent access to special educational needs supports for all vulnerable children".

It called on Mr Weir and the executive "to provide the associated resources required to cover these services for all future pandemic-related disruptions to education".

It was backed unanimously by MLAs.