FamilyFX: The Family Reset System
Local support in Mid Ulster

SEN support in Mid Ulster: education and health boundaries explained

Mid Ulster spans communities linked to Northern and Southern Trust services, while the Education Authority provides regional SEN routes.

Sources checked 14 August 2026Next review 14 August 2027
An illustrated Mid Ulster landscape with Lough Neagh wetlands, rounded drumlins and a small stone town.
Stylised illustration representing the area's character, not an exact photograph of a landmark or service location.

How support is organised in Mid Ulster

Mid Ulster includes Cookstown, Dungannon, Magherafelt and a large rural area between them. The council boundary is useful for local facilities, but it is not a reliable shortcut to one health trust.

For school concerns, begin with the setting. Describe the part of the day that is not working, ask what will change and agree a date for reviewing the response. Support should not stall while adults work out a separate health route.

The Education Authority manages regional SEN services, statutory assessment and statements. Mid Ulster District Council is responsible for local leisure, facilities and community work, not the regional SEN process.

Communities within Mid Ulster may use Northern or Southern Trust services. The former Dungannon area and the Cookstown or Magherafelt areas have different health-service histories, and current pathways may still reflect them. Confirm the actual receiving service through the referral, HSC service finder or an existing letter.

SENAC offers independent education advice. Family Support NI lists registered services across Northern Ireland.

FamilyFX local support signals

The local picture in Mid Ulster

This section maps the current health bodies serving this area and, where a comparable official measure is available, presents it alongside the national figure. It is not a rating of the area or the quality of an individual service.

Health

Health and Social Care trusts for Mid Ulster

Health and Social Care trusts deliver many local health and social care services in Northern Ireland. Some services are organised regionally, so the organisation listed is a starting point rather than a promise that every pathway is based locally.

Northern Health and Social Care TrustCovers Part of the districtVisit trust websiteSouthern Health and Social Care TrustCovers Part of the districtVisit trust website

Urgent help

Lifeline crisis support

Lifeline provides confidential crisis support in Northern Ireland. Call 999 if life is at immediate risk.

Visit Lifeline crisis support

Local organisations and advice

Mid Ulster District Council

Covers Mid Ulster

Council leisure, facilities and community services.

Visit website

Education Authority

Covers Northern Ireland

The Education Authority manages regional SEN services and statutory processes.

Visit website

Northern Health and Social Care Trust

Covers Part of the district

Northern Trust services cover part of the current district. Confirm the receiving service.

Visit website

Southern Health and Social Care Trust

Covers Part of the district

Southern Trust services cover part of the current district. Confirm the receiving service.

Visit website

SENAC

Covers Northern Ireland

SENAC provides independent education advice and advocacy.

Visit website

Family Support NI

Covers Northern Ireland

Family Support NI lists registered family and community services.

Visit website

HSCNI Strategic Planning and Performance Group

Covers Northern Ireland

The official finder helps confirm HSC services when council and trust boundaries differ.

Visit website

Services and local pathways

Education Authority SEN information

Education Authority

Current Education Authority SEN information and online routes.

Who it is for: Children and young people in Northern Ireland who have or may have special educational needs.

How to access it: Begin with the school for current support. Use the Education Authority guidance and online services for statutory processes.

Check current details

Northern Trust children’s health and development services

Northern Health and Social Care Trust

Northern Trust children's health and development information for residents in its service area.

Who it is for: Children and young people within the service’s geography and referral criteria.

How to access it: Check the named service page and ask the GP or involved professional which referral route and local team apply.

Check current details

Southern Trust autism services

Southern Health and Social Care Trust

Southern Trust autism service information for residents in its service area.

Who it is for: The service page describes current age, geography and referral criteria.

How to access it: Read the current Trust page and ask the GP or involved professional which referral route applies.

Check current details

Family Support NI directory

Family Support NI

Searchable regional directory of registered family support.

Who it is for: Each listed service has its own location, age and eligibility criteria.

How to access it: Search by area and need, then confirm current details directly with the provider.

Check current details

HSC service finder and trust contacts

HSCNI Strategic Planning and Performance Group

Use the official finder to confirm the correct trust or service.

Who it is for: Open to anyone looking for current HSC service or trust information in Northern Ireland.

How to access it: Search by service or place. If the trust is unclear, check a current HSC letter or ask the referring professional.

Check current details

SENAC education advice

SENAC

Independent SEN education advice and advocacy.

Who it is for: Parents and carers of children with special educational needs in Northern Ireland.

How to access it: Check SENAC’s current advice and contact arrangements online.

Check current details

Practical next steps

Ask the school to name the support, responsible adult and intended outcome. If a regional service or statutory process is being considered, ask what the school will continue doing in the meantime.

For health concerns, give the full address or postcode and ask which trust and team cover the child. Check the current service page before completing forms, because Northern and Southern Trust criteria and contacts are not interchangeable.

For family support or activities, search by the nearest practical town as well as the district name. Confirm travel, accessibility, frequency and whether the service works across council or trust boundaries.

Related FamilyFX help

Library articleSchool Support Scotland Wales Northern IrelandUse the Northern Ireland SEN framework and the correct regional education route.Library articleSend Rights Scotland Wales Northern IrelandUnderstand statements, rights and the Northern Ireland system.Library articleKeeping A Record For School And Gp MeetingsKeep school and health actions clear without creating an unmanageable file.
Help us strengthen this directory

Do you support SEND families in Mid Ulster?

If you are part of a charity, parent group, advice service, inclusive activity or another organisation supporting SEND families in Mid Ulster, we would like to hear from you. Send us your website, the area you cover, who the service is for and how families can get in touch. We check submissions before deciding whether to add them.

Send us your details

Sources and checking dates

Local services change. We check the sources below and review any substantive change before altering the page.