Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker has written to the Education Authority to request that children with special educational needs are offered a school placement urgently.

The party’s spokesperson for Children and Young People said:

“’I have been contacted by many families who have children with special educational needs entering nursery or P1 in September.

“Many of these families are still waiting for their child to be offered a school placement, despite the fact that we are approaching the end of the academic year.

“’It is an outrageous situation, and it is adding to the stress and anxiety of vulnerable children and their families. Children with special educational needs require the highest level of support in our schools to ensure they have the best start in life. They deserve to be treated fairly.

“’The Education Authority has a statutory duty to ensure every child has a suitable school placement, and children and their families rightly expect that.

“I have written to the Education Authority to request that children with special educational needs are offered a school placement urgently.

”Cuts to education funding, as a result of a cruel Tory budget, have targeted the most vulnerable children in our society.

“The Executive needs to be restored now, and the DUP must end its blockade so that local parties can work together to support our public services in the face of vicious Tory cuts.”