To ask the Minister of Education to detail how his Department is working with the Department for Employment and Learning to provide options and support for young people with statements of Special Educational Needs during the transition between school and further education.

The statutory responsibility for securing provision for school aged pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN) rests with both schools and the Education Authority (EA).

The EA’s Transition Service works in conjunction with the Department for Employment and Learning’s Careers Service and Health and Social Care Trust professionals to ensure the provision of comprehensive and co-ordinated information about the range of post-school options available to young people with statements of SEN.

DE is currently working with other key departments, including DEL, and the EA on improving and strengthening the transition planning process and has been actively involved with the cross-departmental focus group on Post-19 Transitions which was set up to identify gaps in the provision of transition services for young people with severe learning difficulties.