THERE is a shortfall of around 920 special school places for children in September 2023, the Education Authority has said.
The places needed are for both primary and post-primary schools across Northern Ireland.
While parents of pupils seeking a place in mainstream primaries and post-primaries have already been informed of what school their child will go to in September, there are many children still without a place.
It comes amid growing pressure on the education system with recent warnings from the EA that a "significant shortfall" in special school places this year was likely.
There were almost 7,000 pupils in the north's 39 special schools in 2022/23 and a further 3,200 were in specialist provision in mainstream schools.
But figures reported by the BBC on Tuesday state that the EA said there are 920 more children with SEN needed school places in September 2023 compared to 2022.
An EA spokesperson said that "supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is a key priority".
"There has been an increase in the number of children with SEND and in their complexity of needs in recent years," the EA added.
"This has driven a growth in demand for school places in specialist provision, special schools and mainstream, and in particular in pre-school and primary one.
"The EA is continuing to work closely with the Department of Education, sectoral partners, schools, and health authorities, to secure additional appropriate provision."
The pressure on places comes as a major review into support for children with SEN, commissioned by the Department for Education (DE), is set to be published.overnors, asking more mainstream primaries to open units for pupils with severe learning difficulties (SLD).
