Deborah

Building my own foundation,
Strong single mother of three.
Special Educational Needs Advocate and Proud Activist- we are our children's voice

[Autism NI @AutismNIPAPA]

Why has there been a failure to plan for our SEN children? It is downright shameful that some of our most vulnerable children won't have suitable placements in September. We hope that the Education Authority is working night and day to get this resolved.
https://t.co/7Cbax6tEpK

[SEN Reform NI @SENreformNI]

💥68% rated communication with the Education Authority (EA) as "poor" or "very poor."

💥31% of parents sought legal advice or representation.

💥52% of parents of 14–19-year-olds reported no transition plan.

The time to act is now- our children deserve better!

[SEN Reform NI @SENreformNI]

📢BREAKING NEWS📢
SEN Reform NI & @CalebsCauseNI Parent-Led Survey Reveals Deepening Crisis in NI’s Special Educational Needs System!

💥Only47% of parents received their child’s statement within the legal timeframe.
💥98% of parents agreed the need for post-19 legislation.
🧵

[BBC News NI @BBCNewsNI]

The Education Authority has apologised to the family of a teenager who has not been to school for a year and a half. The boy's mother says the family have felt "abandoned". https://t.co/FbtAQOSySR

[SEN Reform NI @SENreformNI]

429 pupils with additional needs are enrolled in EOTAS centres yet there’s not a a single mention of EOTAS in the new SEN reform agenda. These children, already outside the mainstream system, need the most support. Why are they left out? @paulgivan @Education_NI @Ed_Authority

[SEN Reform NI @SENreformNI]

This is bizarre— @Ed_Authority appears to have launched a campaign #EAThankYou praising itself for its work (featuring highly dubious quotes from supposed parents). Is this self-congratulatory campaign really the best use of time & public money? 🤔 @ceoeani

[SEN Reform NI @SENreformNI]

Is this quote👇genuine? It contradicts the reality shared in our recent survey—over 400 families of children with SEN, nearly all reporting little to no support from EA. Most felt ignored and forgotten about. Read our survey to see their real experiences. https://t.co/y8HZhisVyh

[Deborah @MrsDebbieHJ]

@Translink_NI Does this affect the 6a bus?

[N.I.Disability & Carers Group @NIDisability]

Imagine not being able to retire or go on a holiday, or get a nights sleep.This is reality for Carers looking after their SLD children & adults, what does the future hold for us if we become ill who will take over our Caring roles? @healthdpt @mikenesbittni

[SEN Reform NI @SENreformNI]

Heartbreaking: An 18-year-old girl with learning difficulties is remanded in Hydebank prison due to lack of suitable SEN care home places in NI. This is a stain on our society.

[Belfast Telegraph @BelTel]

.@jmarkb1971: "Left to blunder on for more than a decade, ‘failure’ and ‘crisis’ are never far away from @Ed_Authority’s door" https://t.co/lNGSgSe52Y https://t.co/lNGSgSe52Y

[Deborah @MrsDebbieHJ]

The public transport infrastructure is bad enough at the best of times, but zero busses on a main not icy route is ridiculous like its not that bad! @Translink_NI

[SEN Reform NI @SENreformNI]

📢 Exposing inequality in SEN provision! The @Ed_Authority has not opened a single special needs class in any primary school with under 10% of pupils entitled to free school meals. What does this tell us?

[SEN Reform NI @SENreformNI]

Recent nepotistic @Ed_Authority appointments by @paulgivan raise serious questions about pubic recruitment processes. But the real cost of questionable leadership isn't paid by those making these decisions - it's paid by children like ours who depend on EA's failing services

[SEN Reform NI @SENreformNI]

@Education_NI Your own Independent Review of SEN demanded: 'Within a year DE needs to put in place an action plan' for SEN reform.

19 months later - NO PLAN, NO TIMELINE, just endless meetings.

Last week, DE officials could not provide even the most basic details to @NIACfEd

[SEN Reform NI @SENreformNI]

High time NI modernised its approach to supporting young people with additional needs. Over a decade ago, legislation in England established Educational Health & Care Plans extending to age 25. In NI, we still have nothing. @niexecutive - let’s not fail another generation.

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

Word of the day is ‘recrudescence’ (17th century): the return of something terrible after a time of reprieve.

[SEN Reform NI @SENreformNI]

Patrick is 11 and has autism and severe learning difficulties. His mother, Jacqueline, has just been told there’s no special school place for him.

[SEN Reform NI @SENreformNI]

37 SEN children still without confirmed school places just 1 week before term starts:
- 3 nursery
- 18 P1
- 16 Yr8
Each case affects a family & support network, impacting hundreds of lives. These children will be at home while their peers walk through school gates next week.

[Sinéad Marmion @s_marms]

People leave their country because they flee instability, hate, and violence. They come to our country because of our standards in human rights and democracy. They deserve to be here and feel safe, not to come here to face what they have fled.

Refugees always welcome.