To ask the Minister of Education for his assessment of the number of pupils with special educational needs increasing by 5,000 between 2019 and 2024.

School census data indicates that the number of pupils with statements of special educational needs (SEN) has increased from 19,208 in 2019/20 to 24,283 in 2022/23, a rise of around 5,000.

It is important to understand causes and links to inform and shape future policy decisions. In the absence of epidemiological studies, increased trends in SEN are not unique to Northern Ireland. However, the challenge is more acute as evidenced by the Independent Review of Education (December 2023), which pointed to the proportion of pupils with a statement of SEN in Northern Ireland being 2.5% higher by comparison to England with an estimated additional cost that must be found from within the overall education budget of approximately £136m.

Research has considered possible causal factors behind the rising numbers of children with SEN and it is clear that education alone cannot address all of the issues. In addition to advances in medical science, evidence would suggest that there is a range of other relevant contributory factors unique to our circumstances. The ongoing legacy of the troubles can manifest itself through collective community trauma which sees those areas with high levels of poverty, disadvantage, poor health, low educational attainment and high unemployment moderately correlating with high levels of SEN and complex needs.

Importantly, research points to weaknesses in the current system as being key contributory factors to rising needs, some of which are a consequence of the under-investment in education. The lack of an effective model of early intervention that meets presenting needs at the right time may lead to more complex levels of need that often require costlier interventions. The school estate also fails to provide suitable learning environments for children whose needs are such that they require appropriate breakout space to enable them to self-regulate or to learn in smaller class settings.

The End-to-End (E2E) Review of SEN and associated workstreams have been established to ensure that the systemic reform needed to provide quality outcomes for our children and young people with SEN is implemented.