Ms Helen Walsh:

There is, in terms of English as an additional language, EAL, supports and other language supports within the primary sector. I refer to the levels of support provided by our local SENOs. We have 65 to 68 SENOs catering for approximately 4,000 schools nationwide. They work not just with the schools, but also with parents to provide additional supports. I do not like the term “hand holding” but SENOs certainly provide intensive supports to parents seeking placement where English is not their first language and they do not understand the CDNTs or how to go into that space. The SENOs do intensive work to support them, signpost and direct parents in that space. That is only to the point of getting a diagnosis or report or entering unfortunately long waiting lists before we get them into specialised provision they might need. It is slightly different in respect of students coming from Ukraine. Certain accommodations were made in that space and psychological reports were not needed in quite the same way, but, again, SENOs support parents and students towards the available placement. In an ever-changing situation, they work with schools to open sufficient provision and then try to support parents to enrol their children. SENOs will provide support to a certain point and then language becomes a barrier at the point of enrolment and the forms and language that we often take for granted. Intensive supports continue to be needed in that regard.