Latest news with #ChrisQuinn
Belfast Telegraph
2 days ago
- General
- Belfast Telegraph
200% increase in NI pupils receiving special education
The Children's Commissioner has said too many children in need of special education provision are being placed in settings not appropriate for their needs. The comments from Chris Quinn come after his report 'Every Child's Right to Inclusive Education' highlights a 200% increase in the number of pupils enrolled in specialist provision over a five-year period since 2018.
ITV News
17-06-2025
- ITV News
Children's Commissoner warns young people getting caught up in violence 'could impact their future'
Northern Ireland's Children's Commissoner is warning young people that getting caught up in violence could have a devastating impact on their futures. Responding for the first time to last week's disorder Chris Quinn described the behaviour of young people as "frightening". This comes as the Education Minister revealed on Monday that absence rates at schools closest to the disorder in Ballymena spiked following the violence in the town last week. This follows disorder which started in Ballymena last Monday after an alleged sexual assault of a girl in the town last weekend. Two 14-year-old Romanian boys have been charged with attempted rape. A peaceful protest on Monday evening about the alleged assault was followed by attacks on police and properties housing ethnic minorities. The disturbances in the Co Antrim town continued for several nights and spread to other areas of Northern Ireland including Portadown, Larne, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Londonderry and Coleraine. Scores of people were arrested. To date, over 30 arrests have been made by police investigating disorder in Northern Ireland, the age of those taking part as young as 12. The Education Minister said it was alarming that some school children had been attacking homes of their peers during the disorder. Paul Givan said 84 newcomer children at Harryville Primary School have not been attending, while attendance is at around 65% at St Patrick's College. Speaking in Mr Givan said: "Over the past week we have been dealing with children who have been coming into school traumatized, showing all of the signs of trauma as a result of what has happened in our streets. But alarmingly, we're also dealing with some children who engaged in the rioting and attacked some of the school, houses of the very children in their class." In a statement St Patricks College said: "It would like to reassure all pupils and parents that the school will continue to be a safe place." They added, "Staff will continue to work hard for the education and pastoral support for all young people." UTV have contacted Harryville primary school for a response but they did not want to make a Ireland's Children's Commissioner Chris Quinn has condemned any young people taking part in violence and had this message: "I would urge children to stay away, we're entering into a summer period which can be challenging, and that has been the case here for a long time. "I've seen for many years how children and young people get caught up on that so I would urge them to stay away."There's lots of misinformation out there at the minute." He continued, "I would urge them to question that information and think about the sources of it, because I do believe they're getting coerced and manipulated and driven by misinformation and disinformation." As the investigation continues into finding those responsible, the PSNI has once again urged young people to stay away from violence or risk ending up with a criminal record. Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.
BBC News
05-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Northern Ireland school-based anxiety at 'epidemic' levels
A woman whose children have been off school for a long period due to acute anxiety has pleaded for help to get them back into full-time Craig said her son Casey, 14, and 12-year-old daughter Autumn "go into meltdown" anytime they go near school so they have been off for months on leading mental health consultant said "school-based anxiety" is "off the Richter scale" in Northern Ireland after BBC News NI learned that 85,000 children had missed more than a tenth of school days in the current academic Department of Education (DE) said increasing pupil attendance was an "ongoing challenge" and "not unique to Northern Ireland". The Children's Commissioner Chris Quinn is so concerned about the high levels of "emotionally based school avoidance" that he has instructed his officials to investigate the of the main causes cited are anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism and bullying, either physical or politician alone, the SDLP assembly member Cara Hunter, said she is in touch with 200 families across Northern Ireland who have children who will not attend than 4,000 pupils with the very highest rates of absenteeism are currently referred to specialists for help but it is unclear how many of these are linked to "emotionally based school avoidance". The children who find school 'overwhelming' Ms Craig said Casey has not been at school since Easter of last year and Autumn has been off since are enrolled at Laurel Hill Community College in 44-year-old single mother said they find the secondary school environment "overwhelming"."It ranges from not being able to eat, not being able to sleep, having just a complete meltdown trying to get through the doors, crying," she said."Didn't want to get out of bed, didn't want to get dressed, didn't want to get in the car - you had these four or five challenges even before you've got to the school doors, and then teachers are expecting them just to walk in and continue with their day as normal."She said offers of reduced timetables or "time-out" passes, whilst well-intentioned, actually made her children feel worse."I just feel like the secondary school setting is not suitable for every child and, unfortunately, the alternative to the secondary school doesn't exist," Ms Craig said."We're not in 1925 anymore, we're in 2025 and the school system has not changed."She said education authorities need to offer more help to people like her and her Craig is now paying out of her own pocket to get them schooled in English and mathematics in a private setting."It's not that they don't want to learn," she said."Both of them are very intelligent and they're willing to learn, but they're willing to learn in the right settings, just not a big school." Northern Ireland school-based anxiety 'off the Richter scale' Omagh-based mental health consultant Bronagh Starrs believes Northern Ireland is facing an "epidemic" of school-based said many of these children are academically capable and want to go to school, but cannot."They just have catastrophic levels of fear around going to school, they just think of the worst possible scenarios."She added: "The difference between truancy and this phenomenon is that parents are usually aware, or very aware, of the issue and are actively trying to help the young person."These kids have genuine psychological struggles to attend school."She said schoolchildren had become "entrenched" during the Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns, when they had to stay at home, and then struggled when schools opened up again. Ms Starrs said the issue is now "off the Richter scale in terms of the extent of this phenomenon in every school". How big is the emotional-based school avoidance problem? SDLP assembly member Cara Hunter described it as the biggest issue she has dealt with since being elected to Stormont five years said a lot of young people are waiting on an autism or ADHD assessment and feel the school environment is "anxiety-inducing".It was also very distressing for parents who "don't know where to go for guidance", she added."I've spoken with a number of parents who've actually had to leave their job because their child is not attending school, so it's a massive issue across Northern Ireland."We have a big problem here."Hunter also accused education authorities of "failing quite a large number of children" because they have not recognised the severity of the problem. Of the 4,120 children referred to the Education and Welfare Service, more than a third are currently on a waiting list, the Education Authority (EA) Commissioner Chris Quinn said the high rates of "school avoidance" - and understanding why so many children are involved - are "a top priority" for his office. He said they were "exploring issues related to anxiety-based school avoidance, impact of poverty, ill health, long-term impact of Covid-19 and bullying"."We need to understand why these children and young people are not returning to school and explore whether their support needs are being met," he added."Additionally, with fewer educational psychologists in schools and the increasing impact of mental health issues, particularly since Covid, we must do more to support children and young people's wellbeing."The Education and Welfare Service (EWS) currently receives an average of 300 referrals every month from schools about children who are not attending class, although the causes can range from emotional-based school avoidance to physical health, domestic abuse and drug and alcohol issues. From 2019 to May 2025, nearly 500 parents or guardians were prosecuted by the Education Authority for keeping their children from school without a valid excuse. Previous figures from the Department of Education (DE) show there was a significant rise in school absences after the Coronavirus pandemic and DE said it recognised that "attitudes towards regular school attendance have changed since the Covid 19 pandemic and that some children and young people face challenges that make regular attendance at school difficult".Officials said regular attendances had actually improved in the last three years and help was available through emotional health and wellbeing programmes. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, information about help and support is available via BBC Action Line.
The Guardian
01-06-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
The New York Knicks' season is over, but a divisive inquest has only just begun
Almost immediately after the Knicks' playoff run ended on Saturday night in Indianapolis, the fan discourse in New York began to closely resemble American politics: hyperbolic, binary and allergic to nuance. But the truth about this team – and Tom Thibodeau's coaching – lies somewhere in the messy middle. The Knicks are out. They were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers for the second straight, bowing out from the Eastern Conference finals in six games instead of last year's seven-game loss in the East semis. As the franchise's best season in a generation comes to a close, New York are trying to figure out how to feel. Knicks fandom is a hell of a place. Like the US political scene, it allows only two positions: praise or condemnation. Rational analysis rarely gains traction. Hyperbole prevails. It's two sides of the same rotten coin. This season wasn't a referendum on Thibodeau's genius or ineptitude. It was something more complicated: a year of real progress, missed chances and rising expectations. One faction scapegoats Thibodeau without fully understanding their critiques. Some want him fired and replaced by Queens native Michael Malone – who was just fired himself. Others float assistants like Chris Quinn, but can't articulate his philosophy beyond buzzwords. Often, these arguments mask a lack of understanding more than a coherent vision. Meanwhile, another camp defends Thibodeau's every move, refusing to question his substitution patterns, rigid rotations or reliance on hard zone. Terms like 'drop coverage' and 'schemes' have become lazy shorthand for tribalized opinions. But just like the disappearing middle ground in national discourse, the truth lies somewhere in between. This was the Knicks' first trip to the Eastern Conference finals in 25 years. That progress only happened because ownership finally stepped aside. Once James Dolan hired former agent Leon Rose and gave him room to operate, the team pivoted from star-chasing to smart-drafting, financially-disciplined and culture-building. Rose hired Thibodeau, his former client, to instill a ready-to-work mentality, then brought in Jalen Brunson, who emerged as a legitimate MVP candidate. Last summer Rose doubled down, cashing in draft capital and depth to reunite Brunson with Villanova teammate Mikal Bridges and adding Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart. That core delivered 51 wins and propelled New York to fifth in offensive rating (117.3) and eighth in net rating (4.0). They gutted out a first-round win over Detroit, then stunned top-seeded Boston in six behind a lethal Brunson-Towns pick-and-roll and a defense that played the gaps and switched more aggressively than at any point in the regular season. But against Indiana, their momentum stalled. The Pacers' fast-paced 10-man rotation overwhelmed New York. They sent waves of defenders at Brunson, while Andrew Nembhard turned in the best defensive series of his career. After that epic collapse in the series opener, Thibodeau had already shortened the rotation to seven for Game 2. He brought in Mitchell Robinson and Deuce McBride to shore up the pick-and-roll defense, where Brunson and Towns are most vulnerable. In Game 3, Thibodeau improvised, going nine-deep. Towns scored 20 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter to erase a 20-point deficit. Delon Wright and Landry Shamet were crucial on the defensive end. But in Game 4, neither Wright nor Shamet played in the third quarter, when Indiana seized control. They returned in the fourth, but Thibodeau closed with his usual starters, a group that was minus-20 in the series and minus-41 across the playoffs. Despite being plus-8 in Game 3, McBride, Wright and Shamet never shared the floor together in Game 4. Thibodeau's most damaging choice may have been closing with Hart over McBride, who had barely guarded Tyrese Haliburton. Ironically, Thibodeau made the same decisions in Game 5, but the Knicks won and critics went quiet. Wright and Shamet again sat the third quarter. Robinson again didn't close. The hypocrisy of Thibs detractors borders on performative. The Knicks played from behind in nearly every playoff game except Game 5. Critics use this as justification to call for Thibodeau's dismissal. But 17 turnovers in Games 4 and 6 – not a product of coaching – were decisive. The team's 19.5 assists per game in the series weren't on Thibodeau either. He ran a wide array of actions – horn sets, pin-downs, DHO, high pick-and-roll – but Indiana smothered secondary options, forcing Brunson and Towns into iso-heavy, low-efficiency looks. Brunson recorded just five assists to Towns across the entire series. That lack of connection played right into Rick Carlisle's hands. His game plan –blitzing on switches, walling off Hart and Bridges in the lane – was clinical. Carlisle outcoached Thibodeau. But there's no shame in that. Carlisle is a champion and one of the sharpest minds in the game. Every player in the Knicks' main seven-man rotation had a fatal flaw: Bridges' handle, Anunoby's rebounding, Hart's shooting, Robinson's durability, McBride's playmaking. Thibodeau isn't a fraud or a genius. He gave fans what they asked for: deeper rotations, experimental lineups, extended minutes for the Towns-Robinson twin tower pairing. It still wasn't enough. The Pacers were simply better. Now it's on Rose to retool the roster. That likely starts with keeping Robinson as the starting center and reconsidering Hart's role. His lack of shooting limits five-out spacing and his defense, once a calling card, has regressed. He struggled consistenly on switches and blew key rotations. Brunson and Towns remain elite offensively, but both are liabilities in transition and in ball-screen coverage. The Knicks' regular-season defense was 2.8 points per 100 possessions better with Towns off the floor. In the playoffs, that gap narrowed –but problems remained. Thibodeau tried everything: starting Robinson, pre-switching with Anunoby, plugging in Hart. When Towns dropped, Indiana hit jumpers. When he switched, they beat him off the dribble. By Game 6, the starting unit had a minus-33 defensive rating. Poor communication plagued them all season. This wasn't a collapse. It was a ceiling. The Knicks are no longer a punchline. They're a real team with real stakes and real expectations. Every game in this series was winnable. They weren't embarrassed, but they were outplayed. Visibility brings volume, however. The higher the stakes, the louder the takes. Knicks fandom now operates like a two-party system. Its future may depend on whether fan – and the franchise – can embrace complexity instead of shouting past each other.
New York Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Suns narrow coaching search, invite five candidates for interviews: Sources
PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns, coming off their most disappointing season in franchise history, have narrowed their search for a head coach, sources told The Athletic. The five coming in for interviews are: • Chris Quinn, Miami Heat assistant coach • Johnnie Bryant, Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach • Jordan Ott, Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach • Dave Bliss, Oklahoma City Thunder assistant coach • Sean Sweeney, Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Advertisement Since assuming controlling ownership in 2023, Mat Ishbia has hired multiple established head coaches with championship pedigree. However, the finalists have not been NBA head coaches. Quinn is a former NBA guard who has worked with the Heat for 10 seasons, learning under Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra. He has interviewed for multiple head-coaching positions, and last year, Spoelstra told reporters that Quinn was more than ready for a promotion. Bryant is in his first season on Kenny Atkinson's staff in Cleveland, which won 64 games and the Eastern Conference's best regular-season record. He has also worked in assistant roles with the Utah Jazz (under head coach Quin Snyder) and New York Knicks (under Tom Thibodeau). Ott got his NBA start working in Atlanta as video coordinator. He later worked for the Brooklyn Nets under Atkinson, Jacque Vaughn and Steve Nash, as well as for the Los Angeles Lakers under Darvin Ham. Like Ishbia and new general manager Brian Gregory, Ott also has a Michigan State background, having worked in support roles under coach Tom Izzo. Ott last year interviewed for the head-coaching position with the Charlotte Hornets. Bliss is in his sixth season and second stint with the Thunder. He initially worked in Oklahoma City as a video assistant and development coach. From 2015 to 2018, he worked with the Knicks before returning to the Thunder in 2019. Sweeney started his career as a video coordinator with the Brooklyn Nets and advanced to assistant coach under then-coach Jason Kidd. He worked the next four seasons as an assistant coach under Kidd with the Milwaukee Bucks. While there, he formed a close relationship with star Giannis Antetokounmpo. From there, Sweeney worked three seasons under Dwane Casey in Detroit. In 2021, Sweeney re-joined Kidd in Dallas, where he has since worked as an assistant coach. Advertisement Built around the star power of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, the Suns this season had the league's most expensive roster. But they went 36-46, missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-20 season. On April 14, Ishbia fired head coach Mike Budenholzer after one season and said he was as frustrated as his fan base. Two weeks later, Ishbia promoted Gregory, the biggest move in a front office revamp. A college basketball lifer, Gregory had spent two years in the organization, one as a consultant and the second as vice president of player programming. Longtime GM James Jones shifted to a senior advisory role. In his introductory news conference, Gregory promised a long and thorough search for a head coach. A main focus involved changing the team's identity. Gregory said the Suns need an effective communicator, but also someone who values toughness, physicality and defense, which are qualities the Suns have lacked. Their 117.7 defensive rating this season ranked 27th in the league. The Suns are also likely to change the roster, although as a second-apron team, that might not be easy. Phoenix explored moving Durant at the trade deadline and might do so again this summer. The 15-time All-Star remains one of the game's great scorers, but he'll turn 37 in September. Durant is under contract through the 2025-26 season at a salary of $54.7 million. Beal's situation is more complicated. Since Phoenix traded for the three-time All-Star in 2023, he has struggled to stay healthy, missing 29 games in each of the last two seasons. He has two years remaining on a contract worth nearly $111 million. Beal also has a no-trade clause. Ishbia has said publicly that the Suns will not trade Booker, a fan favorite who has spent all 10 of his NBA seasons in Phoenix and last season became the organization's career scoring leader. Booker is eligible this summer for a two-year extension worth $149.8 million. Advertisement The new head coach will mark Phoenix's fourth in as many seasons. Ishbia and Jones fired Monty Williams in 2023 after the Suns lost to the eventual champion Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals. The next year, they dismissed Frank Vogel after the Minnesota Timberwolves swept the Suns in the first round of the playoffs. Budenholzer, an Arizonan who arrived with great fanfare, didn't even make it to the postseason. (Photo of Devin Booker: Christian Petersen / Getty Images)
