Jessica O'ConnorUnite has voiced concerns about safeguarding in Northern Ireland’s special needs sector after a freedom of information (FOI) response confirmed that 353 support staff roles were filled without Access NI checks.
The figure is more than triple the 108 posts identified through FOI responses from 39 special needs schools in January.
According to the union, the increase comes despite education minister Paul Givan’s commitment in May that the education authority would reduce reliance on temporary engagement forms and return to formal recruitment processes for school support roles.
General secretary of Unite, Sharon Graham said, “The race to the bottom on working practices in Northern Ireland’s special needs sector is putting the safety of the most vulnerable children at risk.
“The education minister must act to ensure child safety of children by ending this harmful practice, levelling up employment practices across all SEN schools and professionalising the sector. School support workers must be paid properly, treated with respect and given long-term job security.”
Regional officer Kieran Ellison said: “The FOI response shows that the risk to children has got even greater.
“Unite has written to the education minister demanding he immediately end this safety risk to children by halting the widespread abuse of temporary engagement forms.
“Children are being left vulnerable while a workforce responsible for the well-being and safety of children is denied respect and not even properly employed.”
