To ask the Minister of Education, pursuant to AQW 28307/22-27, to detail any consideration he will give to making these conditions medical categories for inclusion on a school’s medical register to aid data collection.

During the End to End Review of Special Educational Needs (SEN) in 2023/24, my officials along with representatives from schools, Department of Health, Health and Social Care Trusts, Education Authority, and Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists completed a review of the current list of SEN and Medical categories.

Findings from stakeholder engagement alongside a cross jurisdictional analysis led to a decision that no immediate changes were required to the overarching categories on the medical register. Nonetheless, this will be kept under ongoing review to ensure that categories remain evidence based and continue to reflect the changing needs of children and young people in Northern Ireland.