It comes ahead of an Alliance Assembly motion due to be debated on Tuesday (28 April).

Mr Mathison, who also chairs Stormont’s Education Committee, has said: “The role SENCOs play in our schools, providing crucial support to SEN students, cannot be overstated and we must ensure all is done to avoid burnout and keep experienced practitioners in the profession.

“As things currently stand, workload pressure is at an all time high right across the education sector. But for SENCOs, the majority of which also being class teachers, many just do not have the time within contracted hours to deliver the full remit of both roles as effectively as possible. It’s unfair, unmanageable, and simply unsustainable.

“As was highlighted in the recent open letter from the Children’s Law Centre to the Education Minister and the EA, the education workforce feel like they’re being left behind. Reform of how SEN services are provided by schools through EA Local Impact Teams have left many SENCOs highlighting increased admin and bureaucracy when seeking support.

“SEN reform is absolutely necessary. But there has been a failure to address these issues for well over a decade now, and throughout the tenure of successive DUP Education Ministers. Trust is at an all-time low, so it is essential that reform has buy-in from the sector.

“As a start, we’d like to see urgent and meaningful interventions to alleviate SENCO workload pressures, properly resourced Local Impact Teams, and for the minister to undertake a thorough review of SENCO workload, resulting in clear recommendations for how the role may be optimised.

“The number of pupils with a statement of special educational needs has risen by 85% in the last 10 years in Northern Ireland, and is expected to continue growing in the time ahead. Alliance will continue doing all we can to secure the best possible education for them, where they have all the tools they need to thrive, as well as safe, workable conditions for the essential school staff whose job it is to help them do so.”