The organiser behind a campaign calling for the legislation of special educational needs (SEN) after the age of 19 has said that action needs to be taken ‘in this mandate’ ahead of an awareness event being hosted at Stormont.
Alma White, who started the Caleb’s Cause NI campaign back in April, wishes to see dedicated legislation in Northern Ireland to protect special educational needs pupils over the age of 19.
Currently, a statement of educational needs in the north stops when a person turns 19 and there is nothing to replace it – in England, young people with SEN can access an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) which sets out their needs and goals in education until they are 25.
More: Calls for legislation to protect post-19 SEN pupils in Northern Ireland
Ms White says that similar legislation is needed in the north and told The Irish News that it “needs to happen in this mandate”.
Woohoo! Thank you Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council Civic Centre and Union Bridge will be lit up tonight to support our...
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“I’ve been lobbying this for months, but this is a big deal,” she said.
“For us, as parents, we’re pretty desperate – my son’s life is basically running alongside this mandate.”
Ms White’s son, 16-year-old Caleb, has complex special needs and will turn 19 when the current assembly term is expected to come to an end.
After starting a petition, which has gathered over 10,000 signatures and holding several rallies, she says that she will keep pushing to see action taken during this mandate – the ‘Hear Our Voices’ awareness event at Stormont is their biggest yet.
“[It’s] basically an opportunity for young people to share their lived experience but also their hopes and dreams and to try and push the government to see that our young people deserve equity,” she said.
“Currently they don’t have it – the options aren’t there.
“Just because your child has a disability doesn’t mean that they can’t have a fulfilling life and their needs met,” she added.
“They’re the most vulnerable in society and they’re being left behind.”
The Executive’s draft Programme for Government (PfG) outlines a commitment to better support for children and young people with SEN, including “ensuring pathways of opportunity for further training, education or employment at post 16 and post 19″.
This is something which Ms White believes is a “hopeful sign”, in addition to the establishment of a task force by Economy Minister Conor Murphy to look into legislating for post-19 SEN provision.
She added that the Caleb’s Cause campaign has received cross-party and cross-departmental support, with Mr Murphy expected to be joined by Education Minister Paul Givan, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and Health Minister Mike Nesbitt at the event.
“There’s going to be lots of, hopefully, good conversations,” she said.
“I think it’s going to be the best chance to create awareness and to actually hear from our young people because often everybody speaks for them.”
The Caleb’s Cause NI petition can be found here.
