{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/education-northern-ireland-order-1996/article-21",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/education-northern-ireland-order-1996/article-21.json",
  "legislation": "nisi/1996/274",
  "legislation_title": "The Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1996",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/education-northern-ireland-order-1996",
  "path": "article/21",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "21",
  "heading": "Assessment of educational needs of children under two",
  "text": "(1) Where the Authority is of the opinion that a child ... who is under the age of two years falls, or probably falls, within paragraph (2)—\n(a) it may, with the consent of his parent, make an assessment of the child's educational needs, and\n(b) it shall make such an assessment at the request of his parent.\n(2) A child falls within this paragraph if—\n(a) he has special educational needs, and\n(b) it is necessary for the Authority to determine the special educational provision which any learning difficulty he may have calls for.\n(3) An assessment under this Article shall be made in such manner as the Authority considers appropriate.\n(4) After making an assessment under this Article, the Authority —\n(a) may make a statement of the child's special educational needs, and\n(b) may maintain that statement,\nin such manner as it considers appropriate.",
  "extent": "N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in Order substituted (1.4.2015) by Education Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (c. 12), Sch. 3 para. 1(1)(a) (with Sch. 2 para. 4(3), Sch. 3 para. 1(2)); S.R. 2015/35, art. 2(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in art. 21(1) repealed (1.4.2015) by Education Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (c. 12), Sch. 4 (with Sch. 2 para. 4(3)); S.R. 2015/35, art. 2(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "Arts. 6-21B: power to disapply or modify conferred (temp.) (25.3.2020) by Coronavirus Act 2020 (c. 7), s. 87(1), Sch. 17 para. 17 (with ss. 88-90)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "Arts. 6-21B expiry of earlier affecting provision 2020 c. 7, Sch. 16 para. 17 (25.3.2022) by Coronavirus Act 2020 (c. 7), s. 89 (with s. 90)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "added",
      "affecting": "nia/2016/8",
      "affecting_title": "Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (Northern Ireland) 2016"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1996/274/article/21",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T04:42:29.330479+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}