To ask the Minister of Education to detail any specific special educational needs transformation projects that will be delivered using the funding received from the Interim Public Services Transformation Board.

The Finance Minister confirmed ring-fenced funding of £27.5m for Special Educational Needs (SEN) Transformation to my department on 4 March 2025 as recommended by the Interim Public Services Transformation Board.

The SEN Transformation proposals to be funded from the Transformation funding are focused on two strands:

Strand 1 - ‘Right Support at the Right Time for Children & Young People & Parents/Families’ – focuses on early intervention and includes seven projects to be developed and trialled which will test outcomes for children with emerging SEN, as follows:

Transforming the Statutory Assessment Process;

Transformation of Support Model;

Establish and deliver a pilot Early Childhood SEN Intervention Programme;

Establish and deliver a pilot Speech, Language & Communications Intervention Toolkit & Programme;

Transforming Inclusive Play Environments;

Adopt and trial the Early Intervention Nurture Programme into an Enhanced ‘Nurture Plus’ Programme;

Special Schools as Resource Centres of Expertise (pilot).

Strand 2 – ‘Right People’ – focuses on building a skilled and confident workforce and includes two pilots:

Design & Trial a Teacher & Classroom Assistant Professional Learning Programme;

Design & Trial an Inclusive Capacity Building Programme.