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Children’s Law Centre Urges MLAs: SEND Transformation Must Deliver Real Change for Children

3 December 2025
Sam Nelson
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Categories: News

03 December 2025

Appearing before the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Education Committee, on Wednesday 3rd December, as part of its inquiry into Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND), the Children’s Law Centre (CLC) acknowledged ongoing efforts by the Department of Education and the Education Authority (EA) to transform the SEND system. However, CLC stressed that every step must be taken to ensure these reforms do not replicate the shortcomings of the past.

Despite years of work under the SEND transformation programme, many children still face delays in accessing the support they need. CLC warned that without meaningful change, the system risks rebranding old barriers rather than removing them.

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Speaking after appearing at the committee, Rachel Hogan BL, SEND Specialist Legal Adviser said: “The percentage of children on the SEN register who now require a statement has doubled in the last decade, rising from 22% in 2014/15 to 42% in 2024/25. This reflects a system where children’s needs are being left unmet for prolonged periods.

“We recognise the commitment to improving SEND provision, but transformation must lead to tangible outcomes for children. Too many families continue to experience prolonged waits for specialist support and this cannot become the norm. Every child has a right to education now, not in another decade.

“Despite the clear commitment, children with special educational needs are still being left without education. For some families being supported by CLC, the loss of education has stretched into years.

“In our work, we continue to see disabled children put on reduced timetables, sent home early, or simply left without any education at all. This is not acceptable under the law and it should never be acceptable in any society that values children’s rights.

“Continuing to build systems upon a shaky foundation with insufficient financial and human resources will not produce changed outcomes. Increasing capacity of pupil support services to respond directly to children through early intervention to meet their needs will enable the EA pupil support services to deliver positive change.”

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Children’s Law Centre and Queen’s University Mark 10 Years of Children’s Services Co-operation Act

24 November 2025
Sam Nelson
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Categories: News

24 November 2025

The Children’s Law Centre (CLC), in partnership with the Centre for Children’s Rights at Queen’s University Belfast, hosted a significant event on Monday 24th November 2025 to mark the tenth anniversary of the Children’s Services Co-operation Act (Northern Ireland) 2015.

The event, From Promise to Practice: Realising the Vision of the Children’s Services Co-operation Act, brought together senior government officials, children’s services providers, academics and representatives from the voluntary and community sectors to reflect on the origins of the Act, assess progress to date, and explore what needs to change to fully realise its potential.

The Children’s Services Co-operation Act was introduced to improve the wellbeing of children and young people by requiring Government departments and key agencies to work together more effectively. Ten years on, the event took stock of achievements, highlighted barriers to implementation and renewed focus on enhancing cross-departmental co-operation for the benefit of children.

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Speaking before the event, Professor Bronagh Byrne, Director of the Centre for Children’s Rights at Queen’s, said: “This Act was born from a recognition that children’s lives do not sit neatly within departmental silos. A decade later, that truth remains unchanged. This is an important moment to reflect on how far we have come, to consider those most affected and to identify what more must be done to ensure meaningful, joined-up action that genuinely improves children’s lives. We are delighted to partner with the Children’s Law Centre in marking this significant milestone.”

Fergal McFerran, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at the Children’s Law Centre, said: “For ten years, the Children’s Services Co-operation Act has represented a clear legislative commitment to prioritising children’s wellbeing through co-operation. Yet too many children and young people are still experiencing the consequences of fragmented systems and missed opportunities for collaboration.

“Children have been failed because the systems meant to protect them did not work together. Ten years on, children are still falling through the same gaps. We can’t keep saying things will change. We need to see it happen.”

The programme included contributions from those involved in the development of the Act, duty bearers reflecting on progress and children’s sector organisations highlighting where the lack of effective implementation continues to impact specific groups of children and young people. The day concluded with facilitated discussions on how to strengthen co-operation across government and services in the years ahead.

Office Space Available at Rights House for Voluntary & Professional Organisations

5 November 2025
Sam Nelson
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Categories: News

We are pleased to share that office accommodation is available at our building – Children’s Law Centre’s premises at Rights House, 127-131 Ormeau Road, Belfast, BT7 1SH.

Key Details:

  • A first-floor suite (Suite 4) offering 1,892 sq ft (176 m²) of modern office space.
  • Located in a landmark Grade-B1 listed building, recently refurbished and finished to a good standard with carpeted floors, suspended ceilings, dedicated kitchen, and gas-fired central heating.
  • Secure, on-site car parking available by way of negotiation.
  • Excellent location: approximately 0.5 km south of Belfast city centre, with strong public transport links (bus services and a ten-minute walk to Botanic Train Station).
  • The building already houses organisations in the voluntary, legal and professional sectors, so the space is well suited to similar types of occupant.

Why Consider this Space?

Our organisation is rooted in the voluntary/third sector, and this opportunity offers a unique chance for a like minded organisation to locate within a dynamic and supportive environment. Whether you are a non-profit, social enterprise, legal or professional service provider, this space could offer the setting you need.

Next Steps

If your organisation is interested in exploring this accommodation further, please contact the property agent, Savills (Belfast).

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We would encourage you to share this notice with any organisations in your network that might be looking for office space in Belfast.

New Podcast Puts Children and Young People at the Heart of the Conversation

24 October 2025
Sam Nelson
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Categories: News

A new podcast, Rights Unmuted, created and hosted by Youth@CLC, the youth advisory panel at the Children’s Law Centre (CLC), is giving young people the opportunity to discuss the issues that matter most to them. Launched on Friday 24th October, the first podcast in the series includes guests Chris Quinn, the Children’s Commissioner for Northern Ireland, as well as Fergal McFerran, the Policy and Public Affairs Manager at CLC. The episode covers everything from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child to viral memes, gen-z slang and votes at 16.

Throughout the series, the conversations will cover a wide range of topics selected and hosted by the young people themselves. Whether it’s global rights and the impact of worldwide conflict on children, child poverty, school uniforms or mental health, the young people aim to speak up, speak out and speak the truth about children’s rights.

Youth@CLC member Ella said: “Too often the voices of children and young people are left out of important conversations. We’re aiming to change that with our new podcast Rights Unmuted. Created, researched and hosted by young people, we’re starting the conversations that matter to us with a wide range of guests.

“We’ve been speaking to experts, people with lived experience and other young people to bring the conversation around children’s rights from the margins to the mic. From classrooms to courtrooms, no topic is off limits.”

Series one of Rights Unmuted contains 9 episodes, with episodes launched fortnightly. You can find the episodes at https://childrenslawcentre.org.uk/podcasts/ or search for Rights Unmuted on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts or Castbox.

Youth@CLC would like to thank The National Lottery’s Community Fund and The Clothworkers Foundation for their support in making the podcast happen.

Joint Statement: Withdrawal from Restraint and Seclusion Task and Finish Group

15 October 2025
Sam Nelson
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Categories: News

15 October 2025

“The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY) and the Children’s Law Centre (CLC) have yesterday written to the Minister of Education, Paul Givan MLA, reiterating serious concerns which resulted in their withdrawal from the Department of Education’s Restraint and Seclusion Task and Finish Group, as notified to his department on 13th August 2025.

“It is extremely disappointing that neither organisation to date has received any acknowledgement or response whatsoever in relation to our correspondence which confirmed our immediate withdrawal.

“Both NICCY and CLC, in good faith over many years, have made consistent and significant efforts to support the Department in this extremely urgent policy area with a view to implementation of long-awaited systemic change. Change which will prevent human rights abuses against children and protect education staff from legal liability by enabling child rights compliance in education settings.

“It was the shared understanding of all interested parties that both legislative reform at the earliest opportunity and the production of child rights compliant statutory guidance would be the vehicles through which positive change would be achieved. This is no longer the case.

“We have repeated our concerns to the Minister and emphasised a number of key recommendations which the Department had itself previously made and reported upon in March 2022, including the need for immediate  reform of Article 4 of the Education (NI) Order 1998 which permits the use of force by adults against children in education settings for the purpose of “maintaining good order and discipline”. This outdated legislative provision is incompatible with the fundamental human rights of children in a modern society.

“Through our work with children and families, NICCY and CLC are aware that potentially unlawful force has been used disproportionately against young, disabled children, who may have limited or no ability to tell their parents and carers what has happened to them. It is truly shocking in light of all of the reports and evidence available, and given all the support that has been offered, that the Department has broken its promises and allowed both children and education staff to be left in this extremely vulnerable position.

“NICCY and CLC have also called for robust recording, reporting and monitoring procedures alongside regular, mandatory, standardised training for staff in education settings, with a clear commitment to financial resourcing to facilitate full and effective implementation of the statutory guidance. 

“As matters stand, we have had no assurances that the most recent draft guidance or associated processes will guarantee the most basic children’s rights protections, or that education staff will be protected from potential legal liability when faced with decisions about restrictive practices, including use of force against children in education settings.

“Despite having taken all reasonable measures that we can to assist the Department to date, NICCY and CLC have lost all confidence that this process will lead to child rights compliant change. In a situation which may very well regress children’s rights, we can no longer remain part of the Group or any connected process.

“We urge the Minister to reflect upon all of the work that led to his Department’s recommendation in March 2022 for legislative change and ask that he honours the commitment to bring forward reform without delay.  It is his responsibility, in co-operation with others, to ensure that every child is safe and protected, valued and supported.”