AQW 28111/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Education

To ask the Minister of Education to detail why the Education Authority's Special Educational Needs Digital Request for Involvement Portal is currently closed to new referrals.

Asked by Michelle Guy MLA on 3 June 2025

  • Answered
  • Written
Tabled
3 June 2025
Answer due by
18 June 2025
Answered
10 June 20257 days after tabling
Department
Department of Education
Priority question
No

Answer

The Education Authority (EA) has advised that:

The Request for Involvement Portal closed for new requests at 4pm on 16 May 2025 and will re-open in Term 1/September 2025. The portal was closed to allow support packages for referred children and young people to be completed by the end of June 2025. This will also facilitate transitioning the system architecture from the current Special Educational Needs and Disability service destinations to the 28 new Local IMPACT Team destinations for September 2025.

Those requests where support has been recommended but could not commence before the end of June will be supported in the next academic year.

In the case of critical situations, Special Educational Needs Coordinators and schools have been provided with an alternative contact method to access support.

Official sources