§ Mrs. Iris RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on educational opportunities for those aged 16 and above with(a) severe and (b) moderate learning disability. [130255]
§ Jane KennedyPupils with special educational needs are assessed by education and library boards (ELBs) on an individual basis.
Pupils with severe learning difficulties, because of the nature and complexity of their special educational needs, generally remain in full-time education in special schools until the end of the term following their nineteenth birthday.
Pupils with moderate learning difficulties, whether placed in an ordinary school, a special unit or a special school, generally leave school at the statutory school leaving age but usually move on to placement in training or further education. In a small number of cases and depending on their special educational needs, they may remain in school beyond statutory school leaving age.
ELBs are required, in conjunction with other relevant agencies, to draw of a transition plan for all pupils with Statements of Special Educational Needs to set out appropriate post-school opportunities, including further education.
The Department for Employment and Learning's (DEL) Careers Service provides impartial advice and guidance to young people with severe and moderate learning disabilities on all available opportunities in education, training and employment. These include the DEL funded Jobskills training programme within further education colleges which provide a range of courses suitable for people over 16 with learning difficulties. DEL also funds a range of support services for these young people to assist in their achievement of qualifications.
§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to ensure that a statement provided for a child with special needs in one board area is acceptable in all education and library board areas in Northern Ireland when the child transfers from one board area to another; and if he will make a statement. [131822]
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§ Jane KennedyThe Department of Education's Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs gives clear guidance to Education and Library Boards and Schools on meeting the special educational needs (SEN) of all children who require such provision.
when responsibility for a child with a statement of SEN changes from one Board to another, the statement mu be transferred to the new Board, together with any opinion which may have been provided under the Disabled Persons (NI) Act 1989 that the child is disabled. Upon the transfer of the statement, the receiving Board becomes responsible for maintaining the statement, and for providing the special educational provision specif in the statement.
The receiving Board may, on the transfer of the statement, bring forward arrangements for the review of the statement, and may conduct a new statutory assessment regardless of when the previous assessment took place. It must tell the parents, within six weeks of the date of transfer, when it will review the statement, and whether statutory assessment is proposed.