Thousands of NI children face another year waiting for SEN reforms as row erupts over delayed regulations

Children with special educational needs across Northern Ireland are now expected to wait an extra year for long-promised improvements to support services after the implementation of new SEN regulations was pushed back until September 2027.

The delay has sparked a political row at Stormont, with Education Minister Paul Givan expressing “serious concern” over what he says will be the direct impact on children, families and schools, while Alliance MLA and Education Committee Chair Nick Mathison accused the Minister of attempting to deflect attention from wider failures within the education system.

The Special Educational Needs Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 had originally been due to come into effect on 1 September 2026.

However, following extended scrutiny by the Assembly’s Education Committee, implementation is now expected to be delayed by a full academic year.

What the delay means for families

The regulations were designed to deliver some of the most significant changes to Northern Ireland’s SEN system in years, with a range of measures intended to improve support for children and young people while providing families with greater legal protections.

Among the changes now delayed until at least September 2027 are:

• Reduced timescales for SEN assessments.

• New rights of appeal for parents and young people.

• Dedicated time and training for Learning Support Co-ordinators.

• The introduction of Personal Learning Plans for every pupil on the SEN register.

For families already navigating lengthy assessment processes and difficulties accessing support, the delay means many of those improvements will remain out of reach for another year.

Paul Givan warned that the consequences would be felt directly by children and young people with additional needs.

“This delay is neither acceptable nor in the best interests of children and young people with special educational needs,” he said.

“It means that long-anticipated improvements that are designed to deliver real, practical support, will not be realised for yet another year.”

Minister raises concerns over committee scrutiny

The regulations were submitted to the Education Committee on 10 February 2026 and have now been under scrutiny for more than four months.

According to the Department of Education, officials have spent recent months providing evidence, responding to questions and delivering detailed briefings to committee members.

The department said multiple offers had also been made to hold workshops for members as part of the scrutiny process.

While stressing that he respected the committee’s role, Mr Givan said he believed the process had now reached the point where it was having a detrimental effect on children and families waiting for change.

“The inability to introduce new appeal rights limits access to justice for families and delays the protections that both parents and young people have been waiting for,” he said.

The Minister also warned that relying too heavily on the views of a limited number of stakeholders risked unnecessarily slowing progress.

“I remain firmly committed to progressing the SEN Regulations as a matter of urgency and ensuring that children, young people and their families receive the support they need without further delay,” he said.

“I would encourage the Committee to engage further and constructively with the Department so that these vital changes can move forward as quickly as possible.”

Alliance hits back over ‘distraction’ claim

The Minister’s comments prompted a swift response from Alliance Education spokesperson and Education Committee Chair Nick Mathison, who accused the Department of attempting to shift attention away from deeper issues within the SEN system.

Describing the Minister’s intervention as “a distraction from the real issues facing our education system”, the Strangford MLA said the focus should instead be on the ongoing difficulties experienced by children and families seeking school placements and support.

“This is an attempt to deflect from the complete mess that our current SEN system is in and the annual placement crisis which, once again, remains unresolved as another school year finishes,” he said.

Mr Mathison argued that the regulations are too important and complex to be rushed through the Assembly without proper examination.

“These regulations are ten years in the making,” he said.

“They are long, complex and should not be nodded through without adequate scrutiny, especially when experts have raised concerns.”

He added that schools were already coping with a rapid pace of change and that teachers and school leaders had consistently raised concerns about the volume of reforms being introduced.

“It is important that the committee is given adequate time to scrutinise what has been presented and listen to the concerns of those at the heart of the sector,” he said.

Political blame game over a decade of reform

The Alliance MLA also pointed to the DUP’s long tenure in the education ministry, arguing responsibility for the current system rested with successive ministers.

“The DUP have held the education ministry for 10 years now,” he said.

“They are responsible for the creation of a system that is not fit for purpose, yet are now expecting other parties to just nod through reforms which have taken a decade to draft.”

Mr Mathison said Alliance had warned departmental officials early in the process that approval before September 2026 appeared unlikely.

He claimed that while officials had expressed disappointment, there had been no indication that missing the target date would create major difficulties.

The Strangford representative also criticised the Minister’s decision to issue a public statement rather than engage directly with committee members.

“It is incredibly disappointing that the minister has chosen to release a public statement slamming the work of the committee instead of reaching out to discuss the matter with members,” he said.

Children and families remain caught in the middle

While political disagreement over responsibility and process continues, both sides insist they remain committed to improving support for children with special educational needs.

For families already facing long waits for assessments, support services and placements, however, the practical reality is that several key reforms designed to strengthen protections and improve access to support are now unlikely to arrive before the start of the 2027 school year.

The coming months will determine whether agreement can be reached to move the regulations forward more quickly, but for many parents and young people across Northern Ireland, another year of waiting is now becoming an increasingly likely prospect.