Crowds gathered in Belfast on Wednesday morning to show support those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
Organised by Kids Together Belfast and Sólás, the protest heard concerns about the "lack of resources and support available" under the new funding announcements made by the Education Authority.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Piarais McCaffery said: "Over 100 people gathered today in support of Kids Together Belfast and Sólás who are asking the EA to make adjustments for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in relation to youth provision. We met and marched down to EA, chanting and singing 'enough is enough' and 'we matter too'.
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"With support of local politicians from Sinn Féin and People Before Profit we gathered and got our message across. Some young people went into EA buildings and met with Una Turbitt and Michael Hogg, handing over letters of support from parents and young people, 1,292 signatures on our petition and our letter to the EA.
"The EA encourages the use of youth voice and we were told by the EA that they heard our young people loud and clear. We hope now they carry through on their promise to come and visit us and look at SEND provision."
The petition handed into the EA today read: "We, at Kids Together Belfast and Sólás, are petitioning on behalf of young people with Disabilities all across Northern Ireland. As organisations that supports children and young adults with disabilities we are quite concerned about the lack of resources and support available out there for individuals with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) under the new funding announcements made by the Education Authority.
"With the exception of two specifications in Derry/Londonderry and Craigavon, there exists no specific Local Area Based Fund for individuals with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
"Whilst the other specifications that exist do not limit or prevent organisations that work with or support children and young people with SEND from applying, they do however have barriers that will prevent organisations that support young people with SEND from applying or accessing the full fund."
In response to this morning's protest, a spokesperson from the Education Authority said: "The Education Authority fully understand the vital role youth services play for children with Special Educational needs.
"We will work to minimise the risk to these really important services against the backdrop of very significant financial challenges."
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