King - Newry City Park Must Be Inclusive for children with special educational needs

Newry's promised City Park has been highlighted as a key test of inclusion following the approval of a motion on Special Educational Needs provision at Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. Newry City Councillor Cathal King, who brought the motion, said the park represents a major opportunity to ensure children with additional needs can fully use and enjoy Council facilities.

Cllr King said, "The new City Park is a major opportunity to make sure inclusion is delivered properly from the beginning. Children with additional needs should not simply be able to enter the park they should be able to use, enjoy and participate fully in its facilities." He added, "Inclusive play equipment, sensory provision and accessibility must fully deliver on the ambition of inclusion, and I want to see the new City Park set a strong standard for inclusive public facilities across our district."

It is hoped that planning permission for the 15 acre park at the Albert Basin site in the city will be put before council for decision in the next few weeks.

The comments came as Council agreed a wider motion aimed at tackling growing pressure on SEN provision in the district, including a proposed pilot summer scheme for children and young people with disabilities and additional needs. Cllr King said he brought the motion because of what families had told him directly through his work on the ground, particularly in South Armagh. "Families are dealing with a system under enormous pressure, with difficulties accessing appropriate placements, specialist support and therapeutic services. For rural families, those challenges can be even greater," he said. "Behind every waiting list, every placement and every statistic is a child and a family who simply want to access the right support at the right time."

He said he wanted to acknowledge the schools and staff who continue to support children with additional needs, but added that increasing pressure on mainstream schools cannot be the only long-term answer, and that appropriate specialist provision and resources are needed to support children properly.

Among the recommendations agreed, Council will seek a breakdown of SEN funding and investment from the Departments of Education, Health and Communities, and will integrate SEN and disability inclusion into the review of its Disability and Equality Action Plans. The Community Planning Partnership will be used to identify gaps in provision and opportunities for greater partnership working, while Council's Financial Assistance grants will be promoted more widely to organisations delivering SEN-focused initiatives.

Cllr King said he particularly welcomed the recommendation for Council to explore a pilot summer scheme, which he believes could make a real difference to children and families across the district. "For many children with additional needs, the structure and support of school disappears during the summer months, while opportunities available to other children are not always accessible to them. This can leave families isolated and place significant pressure on parents and carers," he said. He added that officers have been asked to explore the pilot, with budget provision to be considered as part of the 2027/28 estimates, and that he hoped Council could develop a summer programme that families can genuinely look forward to and rely on.

Concluding, Cllr King said Council could not solve the SEN crisis on its own, but could help bridge the gap using its facilities, community development work, partnerships and voice to support families and challenge statutory agencies. "This motion gives Council an opportunity to turn the concerns raised by families into practical action," he said.