Almost 90 workers asked to switch to SEN support

An additional 200 classes are needed for September to meet the demand for school places for children with special educational needs (SEN).

That is according to an internal letter sent to Education Authority (EA) staff that has been seen by BBC News NI.

The authority has asked for almost 90 of its workers in other jobs to volunteer to move to work in SEN support.

It cites staff shortages as the reason.

Restrictions on early years support for children during the Covid-19 pandemic is one reason for the "significant" rise in demand, according to the authority.

"This is at least partially attributable to a cohort of children who were less than a year old when Covid struck, now entering pre school," it said in the letter.

"Many of these children experienced limited early social contact, did not receive important child health surveillance contacts from health visitors and/or access to new-born health services.

"The EA has often had no early warning of these children's needs when they enter the education system."

The authority has previously warned that there will be a significant shortfall in special school places for children this September.

Some parents have previously told BBC News NI that has left them and their children facing uncertainty and anxiety.

The EA recently sent a letter to principals and governors, asking more mainstream primaries to open units for pupils with severe learning difficulties (SLD).

But the EA letter to its own staff, sent on 1 June, laid bare the challenge the authority is facing to find school places for children with SEN this year.

"This growth in demand translates into a need for at least 140 additional special school classes and 60 additional specialist provisions for September 2023," the letter stated.

It said that two-thirds of places were for young children entering pre-school or year one, and that Covid restrictions on support for young children meant the EA "had no early warning" of their needs.

Although the authority has asked more mainstream schools to open specialist units for children with SEN, the letter said that "it will not be able" to open 60 more units by September.

The letter said the authority's early years intervention service would also not be able to meet the level of demand it faced this year.

"Given the wider budgetary context, we are not in a position to recruit additional staff for these services through conventional routes," the EA letter said.

"However, the EA still has a statutory obligation to ensure that every child has a suitable school placement."

The EA has, as a result, asked staff working in other roles in children's and young people's services to move to working in SEN support on their existing terms and conditions and pay.

But that could leave staff shortages elsewhere.

"Given the budgetary constraints, promotional opportunities are not available at this time and there are no backfill arrangements currently planned for staff transferring from non-statutory services," it said in the letter.

"Given the current financial situation, we will not be backfilling those gaps."

The letter said that it needed 46 staff to volunteer to move to SEN support for mainstream schools as only 25 posts out of 71 needed were filled.

A further 41 staff are needed to move temporarily to SEN early years support.

In a statement to BBC News NI, an EA spokesperson said: "There are significant pressures facing EA in finding placements for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) for September 2023.

"The EA is working to establish additional teams so that support can be provided to both existing classes and to all new specialist provisions.

"Due to financial constraints EA is refocusing our existing resources to support early years intervention and the new specialist provisions through the establishment of additional multi-disciplinary teams to deliver a high-quality learning experience which will improve outcomes for children with SEND through the provision of tailored earlier interventions.

"This is a short-term measure to allow for the Special Education Strategic Area Plan to embed to deliver increased and sustainable long-term capacity.

"Supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities is a key priority for the Education Authority.

"We will continue to engage with teaching and support staff and unions on this proposal."

The Irish National Teachers' Organisation said it was "concerned with the haphazard approach being taken in relation to the placement of some of our most vulnerable children and young people".

It called for Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris to "radically rethink his budget proposals".

The trade union said the redeployment of existing staff could mean pupils availing of "vital support services" are additionally impacted.