Nov 19, 2024, BBC News (NI): ‘Once my autistic son turns 18, his support ends’
"He would go from having five days a week in school in a supported environment with his peers to basically having nothing and being at home with me."
Caroline Campbell's autistic 17-year-old son Oscar is due to leave his special school in two years.
She travelled from Londonderry to Stormont on Monday to tell assembly members (MLAs) and others about the "cliff-edge" he faces.
That is because Oscar will not receive automatic support to continue in education or training when he leaves school.
"Because there's no legislation, which is what we're all here fighting for, he's not protected once he's 19," Ms Campbell told BBC News NI.
"Once that statement of special educational needs runs out at 19, that's it, he has no protection legally."
Economy Minister Conor Murphy acknowledged that young people like Oscar with special educational needs (SEN) face "injustice" when they leave school. . . .
In England, an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) outlines a young person's special educational needs up to the age of 25.
It is a legal document, which also describes the additional support they need in education or training, and the outcomes they would like to achieve.
But an EHCP is only in place for young people in England, though there has been criticism that some councils fail to meet deadlines set out in the plan.
In Wales and Scotland, though, there have been recent reforms to help young people with SEN transition from school.
In Northern Ireland, by contrast, a child can receive a statement of SEN, which is a legal document setting out the support they should receive in school. . . .
Some organisations offer training and support to young adults with SEN to allow them to start a career.
But sometimes there are not enough places on specialist courses in further education to meet demand.
'Thrives on routine'
Parents came to Stormont to call for a change in the law to ensure support for further education, training and employment is in place for all young people with SEN when they leave school.
Jaclyn Harron's daughter Aoife is nine and attends Knockavoe Special School in Strabane, County Tyrone - she is autistic and also has severe intellectual development disorder. . . .
She has called the campaign Caleb's Cause, after her son Caleb who has complex special needs, including autism, ADHD and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Ms White said a task force had been set up in the Department for the Economy (DfE) to look at options for change. . . .
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