To ask the Minister of Education when he will commence Section 4 of the Special Educational Needs and Disability (NI) Act 2016, which provides for co-operation between the Education Authority and Health and Social Care Trusts to identify, assess and provide services to children with special educational needs and to co-operate relation to transition planning.

ANSWER

The Department of Education (DE) is working closely with the Education Authority (EA) and Department of Health (DoH) on preparing an outline of the draft plan on co-operation. Once developed this will be discussed with the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) and the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) as they are required to inspect the plan every three years after it is published.

DE and DoH jointly chair the Transitions Working Group which specifically aims to (i) understand the experiences and perceptions of the transition planning process; (ii) focus on current processes and practices and on the information available to those going through the transition planning process, including parents and carers; and (iii) identify improvements and synergies to create better ways of working and sharing of information. This will inform development of the joint plan.

Section 4 of the Special Educational Needs and Disability (Northern Ireland) Act 2016 is not reliant on supporting new SEN Regulations being made through the Northern Ireland Assembly so can be commenced as soon as the EA and DoH are ready.