The Education Authority in Northern Ireland has begun an eight-week public consultation on changes to classroom support for children with special educational needs. The initiative seeks to give schools more flexibility in providing support tailored to individual needs.

Tomas Adell, EA's Chief Transformation Officer, stated that current models deliver suboptimal provision and that reforms are needed to improve outcomes for children. He added that changes would benefit classroom assistants, teachers, and school communities.

Under the proposals, schools can shift from rigid one-to-one support to options like small group sessions, varied teaching methods, and better access to specialists. Every child requiring one-to-one support will continue to receive it, with adjustments made through annual reviews.

The EA notes that many schools already use alternative approaches due to rising needs. The consultation aims to formalize these practices.

New statements of special educational need will focus on individual requirements rather than prescribing specific support types.

Implementation starts in September 2026 with 150 mainstream schools and 40 special schools already using alternatives. Rollout expands to two Health and Social Care Trust areas in 2027-2028, then the remaining three in 2028-2029.