Statement of SEN in Northern Ireland
Also called Statement of special educational needs. That is the name used in diagnostic manuals and on most official paperwork.
The legal paper in Northern Ireland that sets out a child's help at school. England ended statements, but they still run in Northern Ireland.
Applies in Northern Ireland
If you are in Northern Ireland and your child has a statement, or you have been told to ask for one, you are dealing with something live and legal, not something out of date. A statement of special educational needs Statement of special educational needs A statement was the legal document that set out a child's support in England before EHC plans. Statements were replaced from September 2014. In Northern Ireland statements are still used today. Read the full definition of Statement of special educational needs sets out your child's needs and the support they must have, and it is reviewed every year.
The confusion comes from England. English guidance says statements were abolished and replaced by Education, Health and Care plans, and most of what you find online is written for England. That is true there and only there. In Northern Ireland, statements remain the statutory document, issued through the Education Authority.
So read the nation line on any advice page before you follow it. An English page telling you to request an EHCP EHCP A legal document, used in England, that sets out a child's needs and the support they must get. It is for children who need more help than their school can give on its own. Read the full definition of EHCP does not apply to a child in a Northern Ireland school.
Across the UK
- Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) : England replaced statements with Education, Health and Care plans from September 2014, so an English child with the same needs would have an EHCP, not a statement.
- Individual Development Plan (IDP) : Wales has moved to Individual Development Plans under its additional learning needs system.
Where this comes from
- Special educational needs statements , nidirect (Northern Ireland Executive). Checked 2026-08-14.
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