AQW 20698/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Education

To ask the Minister of Education when the formulation of information sharing with the Department of Health and the Department for the Economy in relation to supporting children's educational journeys will be complete.

Asked by Nick Mathison MLA on 16 January 2025

  • Answered
  • Written
Tabled
16 January 2025
Answer due by
31 January 2025
Answered
28 January 202512 days after tabling
Department
Department of Education
Priority question
No

Answer

On 13 January 2025, I announced my programme for reforming the provision of support for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and intend to bring the SEN Reform Agenda and Delivery Plan to the Education Committee in the coming weeks.

The SEN Reform Agenda will introduce agreed data-sharing arrangements between my department, and the departments for Health, Economy and Communities as part of a number of actions within the five year Delivery Plan.

In the interim, officials from my department will continue to work with colleagues across the departments to identify improvements and synergies to create better ways of working and sharing of information.

The capturing of data to monitor improved outcomes for children and young people with SEN will be critical and I will be engaging with Executive colleagues to formalise a more comprehensive, coordinated approach to sharing information once this work has progressed.

Official sources