EA to host key Belfast conference as consultation opens on major SEN classroom support reforms

A major conference aimed at reshaping how children with special educational needs are supported in classrooms across Northern Ireland will take place in Belfast this week, as the Education Authority pushes ahead with plans to move away from what it describes as a rigid “one size fits all” system.

The keynote event, being held at the Balmoral Hotel, Belfast, on Thursday, April 16, forms a central part of the EA’s public consultation on its proposed Enhanced Support Model, a significant reform programme focused on improving classroom support and outcomes for pupils with SEN.

The consultation, which remains open until May 22, 2026, is seeking views from schools, classroom assistants, parents, carers and the wider public on changes that could fundamentally alter how support is delivered in schools.

At the heart of the proposals is a shift away from the current heavy reliance on individual classroom assistants at all stages of a child’s education, with schools instead being given greater flexibility to tailor support around the changing needs of each pupil.

Conference to spotlight urgent need for change

Thursday’s event will include keynote talks and panel discussions exploring how schools can deliver better support for children and young people with SEN, while also sharing examples of new approaches already being trialled successfully in schools across Northern Ireland.

The conference is one of a wider series of consultation events taking place over the coming weeks.

Alongside the Belfast gathering, the EA is also holding both online and in-person information sessions for classroom assistants, schools, parents, carers and members of the public.

The consultation is centred on the argument that the existing model is too inflexible and, in many cases, is not delivering the outcomes children need.

Under the proposed reforms, schools would be able to respond more dynamically to pupils’ needs as they develop, rather than applying the same level and type of support regardless of stage, progress or circumstance.

This marks a significant potential policy shift in SEN provision across Northern Ireland’s education system.

Move away from “one size fits all” classroom support

The Education Authority says the planned reforms are intended to replace what it describes as rigid structures that often fail to work effectively for children.

Rather than continuing with an approach heavily centred on assigning an individual classroom assistant as the default response, schools would be given more freedom to design support packages suited to each child’s stage of development.

That could include different forms of in-class support, targeted interventions and more flexible deployment of staff and resources.

The EA says the current system can be overly prescriptive and does not always reflect best practice or the individual needs of pupils with SEN.

The consultation document argues that a more responsive, child-centred model could improve educational outcomes and better support long-term development.

Schools to share examples of innovative practice

A key feature of Thursday’s conference will be first-hand accounts from schools that have already been developing new and innovative ways of supporting pupils with special educational needs.

These schools are expected to outline how they have adapted classroom support structures and the outcomes achieved through more flexible approaches.

The event is intended not only to inform the public consultation but also to demonstrate how reforms could work in practice across Northern Ireland schools.

EA: “This is not acceptable, and we must do better”

Tomas Adell, the Education Authority’s Chief Transformation Officer, said the consultation events are designed to underline the scale of the challenge facing the current system.

He said:

“The conference and the other consultation events will help set out the pressing need for change.

“We all know that at present many children with SEN do not receive the support that they require. This is not acceptable, and we must do better.

“The conference gives us an opportunity to look at how a number of schools from across Northern Ireland have successfully changed the way in which they deliver support, focusing on the needs of their pupils at each stage of their development. They have shown that change to the current model of support can achieve excellent outcomes for their children and young people with SEN.

“The evidence does not support individual classroom assistant support as the best solution for every pupil. We know that this approach is not routinely adopted by many countries who achieve better outcomes than Northern Ireland.”

His remarks signal a clear challenge to the long-established model of classroom support that has been familiar to many schools and families.

Consultation continues until May

The wider public consultation on the Enhanced Support Model will remain open until Thursday, May 22, 2026, with responses invited from all stakeholders.

The outcome of the consultation is likely to help shape the future direction of SEN support policy in schools across Northern Ireland, with potential implications for staffing models, school resources and how children receive day-to-day classroom assistance.

Further information on the consultation and upcoming information sessions is available through the Education Authority.

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At a glance

• Key SEN support conference to take place in Belfast on Thursday, April 16

• Venue: Balmoral Hotel, Belfast

• Hosted by the Education Authority

• Part of public consultation on the Enhanced Support Model

• Consultation runs until May 22, 2026

• Schools, classroom assistants, parents, carers and the public invited to take part

• Proposed reforms would move away from rigid classroom assistant model

• Schools to gain greater flexibility in tailoring support

• Schools already trialling innovative support models will present at conference

• EA says current system is not adequately supporting many children with SEN