Additional support in Northern Ireland

This information is for families of deaf children and young people in Northern Ireland. Read our information for England, Scotland and Wales.

Most children and young people will need some extra help at school at some point in their education. For deaf children and young people, getting the right additional support in place will give them the best start to their education.

For many deaf children and young people of school age, their school will be able to provide this support. Some may need a formal statement which legally sets out the support they need and how it must be provided.

The type of support available for deaf children and young people will depend on: 

• the type of school they’re attending, such as mainstream or special school
• they type of school they're planning to attend
• their support needs in school

Special educational needs (SEN) 

Children and young people with a learning difficulty or disability which means they need extra support to learn and thrive have special educational needs (SEN). Schools are responsible for identifying and assessing children with SEN. Most permanently deaf children will be viewed as having SEN. 

If you’re a parent or carer of a deaf child or young person and you think your child has SEN, talk to their teacher or school principal. The school may also put you in touch with their learning support coordinator (LSC). LSCs used to be known as special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCos). The LSC can discuss your child’s needs, the support available within the school, and how to get additional support if needed.

The Department of Education have published SEN guidance for parents.

School-based support 

Schools will provide practical support for pupils, called school-based support. This is based on conversations with parents and carers of a pupil and the professionals working with them. This may include a Teacher of the Deaf (ToD), if they have one.

Schools must follow the SEN Code of Practice (Department of Education). This lays out three stages of increasing support for students with SEN. 

1. The class teacher or school will monitor a pupil’s progress. They must talk to both parents and carers and the pupil to agree the support that would best help them progress. The school can then make changes to the curriculum to make sure pupils can access learning.
2. The school’s LSC will create a personal learning plan (PLP). Parents and carers, the pupil, other teachers and sometimes health professionals will input. The PLP sets targets to be achieved with dates to review those targets and check progress. PLPs used to be known as Individual Education Plans (IEPs).
3. Some pupils may need additional support beyond what the school can provide. This can include assistance from an educational psychologist, for example. In these cases, the school's LSC will create a new PLP with scheduled review dates to monitor progress.

Most deaf children and young people with SEN are supported through this approach. If a school cannot meet SEN themselves, the next step is a statutory assessment. A statutory assessment looks at whether a child or young person needs a statement of SEN. Parents, carers or the school can ask the Education Authority (EA) for a statutory assessment.

Statement of special educational needs (SEN)

A statement of SEN is a legal document. It sets out:

• what a child or young person’s needs are
• what support they should receive
• where they should go to school

Find more information about what is included in a statement of SEN (EA).

A statement of SEN is usually only needed if a pupil: 

• is currently attending a school that can’t provide all the support they need
• is planning to attend a school that is unlikely to be able to provide all the support they need
• would benefit from attending a special school

Not all deaf children and young people with SEN automatically receive a statement of SEN. The EA may carry out a statutory assessment to understand the level of support required. They will determine whether a statement of SEN is needed.

You can find out more from the Special Educational Needs Advice Centre (SENAC).

Statutory assessment

A statutory assessment is a detailed assessment of a child or young person’s SEN. It assesses the additional support they need. Statutory assessments are carried out by the EA. 

The assessment involves gathering reports from professionals involved in a pupil’s education. This may include:

• the pupil
• parents and carers
• the school
• an audiologist
• other doctors
• an educational psychologist
• any other professionals who work with the pupil

After the assessment, the EA will decide whether they think a pupil needs a statement of SEN. They should make their decision within 12 weeks and explain how they decided. If you’re not happy with the EA’s decision or they have refused to carry out an assessment, you can appeal (see below).

Annual reviews of statements

Statements of SEN are reviewed every year. The school should invite parents and carers of children and young people with statements of SEN to annual review meetings. Reviewing a statement of SEN is important. It ensures that the school continues to provide the right support for a child or young person. 

When pupils move into Year 10, transition planning is introduced. The annual review meeting will include transition planning for when they leave school. Every young person aged 14 or older with a statement of SEN will have a named transition coordinator. The transition coordinator is from the EA.

Challenging an EA decision

If you’re unhappy with an EA decision, you can appeal. Appeals are made to the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Tribunal (Department of Justice). You can appeal if:

• you're not happy with the content of a statement of SEN
• the EA has refused to carry out a statutory assessment

You must appeal within 2 months of the EA’s decision.

Making a complaint to the EA

If you’re not happy with how the EA has handled your case, you can make a complaint. Strict time limits apply. Usually, you must make your complaint within 6 months of the EA’s decision. 

For advice and support, contact our Helpline. You can also visit SENAC for information about making a complaint to the EA. 

You don’t need to make a formal complaint to the EA in order to appeal to the SEND Tribunal. 

The Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman (NIPSO)

NIPSO considers complaints against public bodies. This includes:

• grant-aided nurseries
• primary and secondary schools
• further education colleges
• Queen's University and the University of Ulster

If you want to make a complaint about the EA, you must have made a formal complaint to the EA first. 

NIPSO will look at whether the EA has followed the law properly and fairly. It will also look at whether there is any evidence of ‘maladministration’. Maladministration means doing something wrong or being dishonest.

Examples of cases that the Ombudsman might consider include, if the EA:

• is failing to deliver support specified in a statement of SEN
• is taking too long to let you know if they will carry out an assessment
• doesn’t respond to any formal complaints that you make.

The Ombudsman can not look at certain cases. It can not look at cases where the EA has followed the law, but you disagree with its final decision. 

If you want to make a complaint about a school, you must have taken all possible steps to follow the school’s complaint’s process. [LINK TO COMPLAINTS] 

You should make your complaint to the Ombudsman within 6 months of the decision or action that you're complaining about. Find out more about making a complaint to the Ombudsman (NIPSO).