Aug 25, 2022, Belfast Telegraph: Experts say £6.1m f[$7.2M] funding boost for special needs education not nearly enough https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/experts-say-61m-funding-boost-for-special-needs-education-not-nearly-enough-41935375.html
Northern Ireland’s Special Education Needs (SEN) sector received a £6.1m [$7.2M] funding boost yesterday, after it was warned that it would be hit hardest by a massive budget deficit.
However, the money will barely scratch the surface of a sector which is facing a £116m [$137M] shortfall in the next financial year.
The announcement of the funding by DUP Education Minister Michelle McIlveen came after a warning that the Education Authority (EA) is facing an overall budget deficit of £200m [$237M] as the new school term begins. EA Director of Finance Seamus Wade said more schools are expected to go into a budget deficit this year to meet rising costs. He warned that the finance will not be there to meet the needs of children, particularly those with special educational needs. SEN is expected to fall £116m short of the funding needed to sustain the sector.
“We are at risk of not having sufficient budget to cover the costs that we believe that are necessary to meet the needs of our children and young people, particularly those with special educational needs,” Mr Wade said.
Following his comments, Ms McIlveen announced a further £6.1m to help transform educational provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities….
"My Department has been working with the Education Authority to drive forward this critical work and the £6.1m funding I am announcing today will enable further progress.
“Providing the right support and achieving the best possible outcomes for children and young people will remain a priority while the transformation of services takes place.” But the figure falls well short of what is required.
“For the last number of years, we have benefited significantly from in-year monitoring round money to help meet the overall cost of delivering our services,” the EA financial director said. “Last year, for example, we secured £80m of additional money for special educational needs in-year.
“The problem that brings is that when we arrive on April 1 that £80m falls out of our budget. “We have continuing costs, we also have pay and price inflation that is rising, we have increasing demand and the budget simply doesn’t keep up.”
Graham Gault, interim director of the head teacher’s union NAHT, said the situation can no longer be thought of as an impending crisis, as the difficulties are being faced by schools right now.
“We are glad to see the EA speaking out about the enormity of the financial shortfall,” he said. “But this is not a coming crisis. The crisis is now.
“Our schools cannot afford to maintain basic provision for children and our system cannot afford to
oking at it. This is a crisis.”
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