AQW 50629/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Education

To ask the Minister of Education to detail the number of children being supported through the Early Childhood Special Educational Needs Intervention Programme.

Asked by Michelle Guy MLA on 1 September 2026

  • Answered
  • Written
Tabled
1 September 2026
Answer due by
16 September 2026
Answered
3 September 20262 days after tabling
Department
Department of Education
Priority question
No

Answer

Not all Special Educational Needs (SEN) Reform Delivery Plan early childhood intervention programmes directly support children, of those that do:

180 children will be supported across three years in the targeted programme for 2-3-year-olds;

the Learning Support Trial is commencing this month. The number of children who will receive support cannot be projected as the trial will respond to the needs of children as they present.

the Inclusive Play programme will support children in 48 settings across the three years of the project. The exact number of children who will receive support cannot be projected as enrolment levels and number of children attending each setting are likely to vary throughout the lifetime of the project.

Official sources