She was speaking ahead of Alliance’s Assembly motion on Monday (8 September) recognising the challenges currently faced by SEN families and calling for clarity from the minister on how many children are affected, and that he specify clear timescales for implementation of the SEN Reform Agenda and Recovery Plan.

Ms Guy has said: “As we mark the start of another new academic year, it’s shameful that we once again find ourselves in a situation where children with special educational needs and their families have been let down by our education system, which is why we’ve brought this motion forward.

“We’re a week into September, and between the children that are still waiting to be allocated a school place and those that are still not clear if they can even access the place they've been allocated, it’s simply not good enough. This is an urgent issue and the Education Minister must answer for it.

“The fact that we keep facing this crisis year after year, however, indicates a dire need for more strategic long-term planning in terms of allocating resources and working collaboratively with the Department of Health as SEN young people move through the education system. We must also have clear and defined timescales for implementing these measures in the future to ensure we don’t see a repeat again next year as well.

“Every child in Northern Ireland has the right to an education and deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential and achieve their dreams, including our SEN learners. Alliance remains committed to fighting for SEN families, and to helping ensure better is delivered for them in future.”