The Lagan Valley MLA was speaking ahead of an Assembly recall motion tomorrow (31st March) tabled by the Alliance Party, which is set to question the Ministers over the decision to cancel vital SEN summer schemes this year, causing widespread panic and stress, only for them to reverse the decision 24 hours later.
Ms Guy said: “The decision endorsed by both the Education and Health Ministers to cancel SEN summer schemes across Northern Ireland, to only reverse that decision 24 hours later after having caused such wide distress, is utterly appalling.
“SEN families are owed an apology for this debacle. Yet again, they are having the rug pulled from beneath them. The issue of nursing provision in SEN schools is not new. The Ministers have long been aware of this situation, and any suggestion otherwise is completely misleading.
“There is a lot to answer for. This recall is about holding both Ministers accountable for a harmful decision that was clearly unnecessary. It should have been a priority to work together to resolve this issue, instead they sat on their hands and did nothing, attempting to avoid scrutiny by announcing it just before the Easter recess.
“Tomorrow, we aim to give voice to the frustration felt by parents and schools, and to ensure that a situation like this is never repeated. The conversation around SEN support and nursing provision in schools cannot end there. The Education and Health Ministers must work collaboratively to deliver long-term solutions and provide the consistent, meaningful support that SEN children and their families both need and deserve.”
Ms Guy said: “The decision endorsed by both the Education and Health Ministers to cancel SEN summer schemes across Northern Ireland, to only reverse that decision 24 hours later after having caused such wide distress, is utterly appalling.
“SEN families are owed an apology for this debacle. Yet again, they are having the rug pulled from beneath them. The issue of nursing provision in SEN schools is not new. The Ministers have long been aware of this situation, and any suggestion otherwise is completely misleading.
“There is a lot to answer for. This recall is about holding both Ministers accountable for a harmful decision that was clearly unnecessary. It should have been a priority to work together to resolve this issue, instead they sat on their hands and did nothing, attempting to avoid scrutiny by announcing it just before the Easter recess.
“Tomorrow, we aim to give voice to the frustration felt by parents and schools, and to ensure that a situation like this is never repeated. The conversation around SEN support and nursing provision in schools cannot end there. The Education and Health Ministers must work collaboratively to deliver long-term solutions and provide the consistent, meaningful support that SEN children and their families both need and deserve.”