AQW 23032/17-22 Written question to the Minister of Education
To ask the Minister of Education (i) for a breakdown of the number of children waiting for an assessment by an Educational Pyschologist in the Strangford constituency; and (ii) how many weeks each child has been waiting for a statutory assessment.
Asked by Kellie Armstrong MLA on 23 September 2021
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 23 September 2021
- Answer due by
- 8 October 2021
- Answered
- 5 October 202112 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Education
- Priority question
- No
Answer
The Education Authority (EA) does not currently hold information at individual constituency level relating to the number of children waiting for an educational psychology assessment at Stage 3 of the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice.
The Strangford area falls within the remit of the EA’s Dundonald area office, and the total number of children awaiting assessment in this area office is as follows:
| Weeks Open | Educational Psychology Assessment at Stage 3 of the Code of Practice | Educational Psychology Review Assessment at Stage 3 of the Code of Practice | Educational Psychology Advice for a Statutory Assessment at Stage 4 of the Code of Practice |
| 0-32 | 59 | 17 | 70 |
| 33-36 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 37-39 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40+ | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 60 | 17 | 70 |
As of 19 September 2021, the EA was conducting 2,029 statutory assessments. Of these assessments, 504 are open cases in the Dundonald office area, with 40 of these cases open more than 26 weeks, excluding statutory exceptions.