To ask the Minister of Health, pursuant to AQW 21078/22-27, whether he plans to deliver a joint workforce strategy with the Minister of Education to deliver the appropriate number of allied health professionals required to support special educational needs learners.

I am working closely with the Minister of Education in relation to AHP pre-registration training places and protected AHP posts, as outlined in the SEN Reform Agenda – Delivery Plan 2025-2030, with a view to growing the AHP workforce supply to support children and young people with special educational needs. In the SEN reform agenda delivery plan, an increase in AHP pre-registration training places and the establishment of protected posts for education is identified as a key enabler of improvement. This will only be deliverable if sufficient funding is made available.

A review of therapeutic needs of children and young people with SEN led by the Public Health Agency has commenced and will be completed on a phased basis. This will inform an AHP workforce plan that will support children and young people with SEN, enabling us to proactively plan for their therapeutic support, with a focus on early intervention to stop problems before they escalate.

My officials have been fully engaged with education at strategic and operational levels to inform the SEN review and to collaboratively develop policy and commissioning responses to the challenges we face.