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A Newry councillor speaking of his own family’s special education needs (SEN) has highlighted the urgent need for increased SEN provision in the district and helped generate a council pilot summer scheme in the wake of a Stormont furore.
The heart-felt personal account was heard at the Active and Healthy Communities committee meeting in Newry, Mourne and Down District Council chamber on Monday 17 August amid a call to support “isolated” parents and children.
The local authority move comes after the initial cancellation of some school SEN programmes earlier this year, potentially leaving hundreds of families without summer time support.
Bringing forward a motion, Newry City councillor Cathal King said: “I think most of us in this chamber will know a family or friend who has a disability or additional needs.
“Many of us will have seen first-hand the difference that the right support, opportunities and provision can make to someone’s life.
“For me, this is something I have grown up with.
“I have a close family member with additional needs, and growing up alongside them has given me a very personal understanding of how important the right provision, support and opportunities are, not only for the individual, but for the whole family.”
The council’s active and healthy communities committee has agreed to further SEN objectives when it reviews its disability and equality action plans next year following a public consultation.
The local authority will now also ask the Stormont departments of Health, Education and Communities for a breakdown in SEN funding and investment for rural areas and summer schemes.
A report in chambers shows that any budget for the council SEN summer scheme would currently have to be considered in next year’s estimates.
Councillor King added:”I particularly welcome the proposed pilot summer scheme for children and young people with disabilities and additional needs.
“Families don’t experience their lives in separate departments. A parent isn’t thinking, this is an Education problem today and a Health problem tomorrow. They simply know their child needs support.
“For many children with additional needs, the structure and support of school disappears during the summer, while opportunities available to other children aren’t always accessible to them.
“This can leave families isolated and place significant pressure on parents and carers.
“Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, participate, socialise and reach their potential, and every parent should be able to ask for support without having to become an expert in navigating the system.
“This decision should not be the end of the conversation. It should be the beginning.”
In March the Education Minister Paul Givan had announced the cancellation of special school summer schemes over concerns about on site health care available for children.
However, a resolution was swiftly brought about for this summer following a public outcry.
Committee chairperson Tierna Howie said:”Especially now with our Education Minister’s decision to remove SEN summer schemes, I think this is very pertinent to consider as a council.”
Rowallane councillor Jonathan Jackson added:”I want to say from our party in general, we do massively take this SEN provision very seriously and it is so vital and important to the families who it affects.
“Our Education Minister Paul Givan has massively increased SEN classes since he came into post, so he is trying to support that as much as he can.
“It’s a real, live and important issue and we are fully behind families who are trying to deal with this.”
The Motion from Cllr Cathal King
This Council notes the urgent need for increased SEN provision across Newry, Mourne and Down and South Armagh, particularly for rural families who face barriers accessing support and services.
Council welcomes the £27.5 million allocation in March 2025 by Finance Minister O'Dowd SEN allocation secured to develop pilot programmes in early intervention and workforce training but expresses concern at the how the Department of Health, Communities and Education are administering this within our constituency.
Council therefore agrees to write to the Departments of Education, Health and Communities seeking a breakdown of SEN funding and investment allocated to the Newry, Mourne and Down and South Armagh areas, including support for rural families, specialist provision and summer schemes.
Council also agrees to develop a local action plan recognising the growing need for
SEN provision across the district, with a focus on improving support, accessibility, and opportunities for children and families.
The Notice of Motion was referred to the Active & Healthy Communities Committee for consideration.
