A protest will be held at Stormont next week as parents come together to speak out against cuts to Special Educational Needs (SEN) and call for reform of services.
SEN Reform NI has organised the protest which will take place on Wednesday, June 21, in order to highlight the devastating impact that £11million worth of budget cuts will have on SEN services which are "already stretched to the limit".
The group has been started by two parents, Dorothy Murray and Emma Morgan, who have two children with additional needs and have experienced the difficulties of accessing SEN services and securing adequate education and support.
Read more: Co Down mum 'distraught' after being left in limbo over son's special school place
Emma's son Tom is also one of over 800 children who are yet to be offered a place at nursery or primary school in September, despite having a statement of his additional needs.
Speaking to Belfast Live, the mums highlighted the concerns they have regarding the budget cuts to SEN services and said that urgent reform is needed in order to ensure that vulnerable children and families are not left without the support they require.
Emma said: "My son Tom is due to start primary school in September but we are still waiting to find out where he will be attending and we are not the only family who are stuck in this predicament.
"There are more than 800 children who still do not have a place in school or nursery next year and it is not right that families are put in this situation every year.
"Last year we had the same issues when trying to secure him a place in a nursery and were not told where he would be able to go until August.
"Prior to this we had to take the Education Authority to a SENDIST tribunal surrounding his SEN statement, as it was practically meaningless, and even though we have had this resolved, we are still struggling to get places in a suitable school for him.
"Now with the budget cuts that have been announced for SEN services it will be even harder for children to get the help and support that is needed.
"The role of a SENCO in school is hugely important and to get these roles will only create problems further down the line and prove to be more costly, all while robbing children with additional needs of the education that they deserve."
Dorothy said SEN Reform NI will be calling for the implementation of the recommendations in the Independent Review of Special Educational Needs Services and Processes that was published earlier this year, alongside their opposition to the proposed cuts.
She said: "We are hoping that as many people as possible can join us at the protest on Wednesday, June 21, which will coincide with protests in London and Edinburgh.
"The recent budget cuts that have been announced for Northern Ireland will have a devastating impact on children and their families who are already struggling and we fear that many will be left behind without the support they are entitled to.
"My daughter is currently in a mainstream nursery, but will struggle moving forward as the facilities she needs are just not available to her.
"In Northern Ireland we are already lacking in vital services, with no early years intervention, and these cuts will only make this worse for families.
"We are also calling on the Education Authority and Department of Education to fully implement the recommendations in the recent independent review of SEN services, which have come directly from experts within the field and would make a huge difference to the lives of young people with additional needs across Northern Ireland."
The SEN Reform NI protest will take place from 11am to 1pm at Stormont on Wednesday, June 21.
A petition has also been launched by the group calling for reform of SEN services, which you can sign here.
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