Mathison warns SEN Coordinators’ workloas are “unsustainable”
Strangford MLA Nick Mathison, who is the Alliance Party’s Education spokesperson, has said that Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs) are crucial members of school staff, but that current workload pressures are “unfair, unmanageable, and simply unsustainable,”
It comes ahead of an Alliance Assembly motion due to be debated on Tuesday 28th April.
Mr. Mathison, who also chairs Stormont’s Education Committee, said: “I have engaged with local school SENCO clusters representing schools across the area, including the Newtownards and North Down groups.
“The message that they are pushed beyond capacity comes through in every engagement. In a recent meeting with the Ards and North Down SENCO Group, I heard directly from practitioners about the scale of pressures they are facing on a daily basis.
“There is a clear and consistent message that the current workload is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain.
“The role SENCOs play in our schools, providing crucial support to SEN pupils, cannot be overstated and we must ensure all is done to avoid burnout and keep experienced practitioners in the profession.
“As things currently stand, workload pressure is at an all-time high right across the education sector. But for SENCOs, the majority of whom are also class teachers, many simply do not have the time within contracted hours to deliver the full remit of both roles as effectively as possible.
“It’s unfair, unmanageable, and simply unsustainable.
“As was highlighted in the recent open letter from the Children’s Law Centre to the Education Minister and the EA, the education workforce feels likethey are being left behind. Reforms of how SEN services are provided by schools through EA Local Impact Teams have left many SENCOs reporting increased administration and bureaucracy when seeking support for children with SEN.
“SEN reform is absolutely necessary, and Alliance is clear we are ready for that conversation. However, there has been a failure to address these issues for well over a decade, and throughout the tenure of successive DUP Education Ministers.
“Trust is at an all-time low, so it is essential that reform has genuine buy-in from the sector.
“As a starting point, we would like to see urgent and meaningful interventions to alleviate SENCO workload pressures, properly resourced Local Impact Teams, and for the Minister to undertake a thorough review of SENCO workload, resulting in clear recommendations on how the role can be better supported.
“The number of pupils with a statement of special educational needs has risen by 85% in the last 10 years in Northern Ireland and is expected to continue growing.
“Alliance will continue doing all we can to secure the best possible education for these pupils, ensuring they have the support they need to thrive, alongside safe and sustainable working conditions for the staff who support them.”
