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  • Special educational needs: legislation

    Topics:
    • Support and development, 
    • Special educational needs

    Access to primary and secondary legislation relevant to special needs education.

    Primary legislation

    Copies of the relevant legislation are published on the Office of Public Sector Information website:

    • Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1987
    • Education Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1989
    • Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) 1993
    • Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1996
    • Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1997
    • Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1998
    • Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 2003
    • The Special Educational Needs and Disability (Northern Ireland) Order 2005
    • The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (Northern Ireland) 2016

    Subordinate legislation - education

    Copies of the relevant subordinate legislation published on the Office of Public Sector Information website:

    Statutory Rule 1998 No. 217

    • Education (Special Educational Needs) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998

    Statutory Rule 1998 No. 205

    • Education (Special Educational Needs Code of Practice) (Appointed Day) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998

    Statutory Rule 1997 No. 327

    • Education (Special Educational Needs) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997

    Statutory Rule 1997 No. 315

    • Special Educational Needs Tribunal Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997

    Statutory Rule 2005 No 384

    • The Education (Special Educational Needs) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005

    Statutory Rule 2005 No 339

    • Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005

    Statutory Rule 2016 No 327

    • The Special Educational Needs and Disability (2016 Act) (Commencement No. 1) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016

    Related content

    • Autism
    • Cognition and learning
    • End to End Review of Special Educational Needs (SEN)
    • Independent Review of Special Education Needs
    • Language and communication
    • New SEN Framework
    • Outdoor Spaces for Play & Learning Programme in Special Schools
    • Physical needs
    • Recording children with special educational needs
    • Reports and publications
    • Resource to support children with special educational needs
    • SEN guidance for parents
    • Sensory
    • Social Behaviour and Emotional Wellbeing
    • Special Educational Needs (SEN) Resources
    • Special educational needs: code of practice
    • Support for pupils with medication needs
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