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Irish Independent
3 days ago
- General
- Irish Independent
Wexford parents urge ministers to reconsider review of special school system – ‘This will have a far-reaching, devastating effect on students'
Currently there are 117 children on its roll, 117 children who avail of the specialised care and attention they receive from the school's teachers, special needs assistants (SNAs), and extended staff. However, the future of those children, and the children who hope to attend the school in the future, was thrown into jeopardy in May of this year when a letter, issued by the Department of Education, outlined its proposed changes for special education provision for the academic year 2026/27 and beyond. The letter (Circular 0039-2025), which followed engagement with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), details the department's plans to 'review the designation of existing special schools'. Set to be finalised by December 31 of this year, the plan states that 'where there is a need for special class places in a local area, and there is no available school to meet this need . . . the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) can approach other schools to open special classes'. With regards to the designation of special schools under the plan, the Department and the NSCE have said they 'intend to commence work on reviewing the designation of existing special schools to ensure that all special schools respond to the needs of children in their local region, rather than children having to travel past one or more special schools to access a special school placement due to the designation of those schools.' Under the new plans, pupils with MGLD may be required to attend special units in mainstream schools in their locality rather than travel to Our Lady of Fatima for their education. Already, the principal of Our Lady of Fatima, Ms Glenda McKeown, has voiced her deep concerns regarding the changes to the system and how it will impact children across Wexford, saying students in Our Lady of Fatima 'would definitely struggle for many different reasons – mental health or high anxiety levels – if they were compelled to go to a mainstream school, and there would be a greater level of absenteeism'. And now, with uncertainty and fear growing among those who attend Our Lady of Fatima, parents of some of the school's current students have had their say. Vanessa's story The changes detailed in Circular 0039-2025 are particularly pertinent for Vanessa Steenson and her daughter Helen Maria. Living in Gorey, they are a long way from Our Lady of Fatima in Wexford town and would, like many other families, be forced to go to the nearest available mainstream school if the changes are implemented. Helen Maria (12) has already spent some time in a mainstream school where it quickly became apparent that she required a more specialised environment. 'She spent junior infants in a school in Gorey, the teachers were very good, and understanding, but they weren't able to support her,' says Vanessa. 'She spent most of the time sitting in the back of the room with a piece of paper and some crayons. I knew she had a lot of potential but the teachers weren't able to unlock it.' Helen Maria has a rare genetic disorder which affects her cognitive learning abilities and she also has difficulties with sensory processing. In addition, Vanessa says that although 'her chronological age is 12, she's really only about seven or eight'. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Following junior infants, Helen Maria began attending Our Lady of Fatima. 'She was pre-verbal at this stage, she now talks, she's able to read, is at fourth class level and can read small novels,' says Vanessa. 'She has amazing potential and it's only by being in Our Lady of Fatima that they have found ways of tapping into it. "She couldn't learn in a mainstream setting where there's 30 kids, one teacher, lots of noise and distraction. Now she's in a small classroom setting, there's two special needs assistants (SNAs), plus the teacher, and her work is all tailored to her, as it is to the other students,' All the children who attend Our Lady of Fatima's have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) which contains various targets and goals for each child. "The teacher uses various learning approaches and teaching styles to suit that child. If you go into a mainstream setting the teacher is just opening the book and telling the class what they're going to be doing,' says Vanessa who is a teacher herself. 'If Helen Maria was in a mainstream setting she would be starting first year now, probably in Gorey Community School. She is tiny, can you imagine her in among a group of teenage first years? Children like her get forgotten or are labelled as disruptive in a mainstream school.' Although the academic year has now concluded at Our Lady of Fatima, the school is still working with its students, Helen Maria included, to ensure they are ready for all that the world throws at them in their future lives. 'They're doing their summer provision at the moment, it's like a summer camp,' Vanessa explains. 'They organise activities for the children, improve their life skills. I got an email the other day to tell me they were going to the shops, to the cinema. Chloe had to bring her little purse with money to buy a bottle of water, some treats, before they went to the cinema.' Darryl's story Describing Our Lady of Fatima as 'nothing short of a lifeline' for his daughter, Darryl Cogley, as chair of the parents association, says the proposed changes fill him with a mix of 'apprehension and deep concern for the future of our special schools'. 'Before Grace came here, we had navigated a labyrinth of challenges, often feeling isolated and misunderstood. But within the walls of that school, she has found a place where her unique needs are not just accommodated, but celebrated,' he says. 'The dedicated staff, the tailored curriculum, the small class sizes – these are not luxuries, they are essential pillars that have allowed my daughter to blossom, to achieve her full potential in a way that simply wouldn't have been possible in a mainstream setting. "This school has unlocked her abilities, built her confidence, and given her a sense of belonging that every child deserves. It's amazing to see a child going into the school at 9-10-years-old and watching their development; you'd have a child who wouldn't have spoke very much, where their peers (in mainstream) were moving on at a faster pace so they were left out of conversations. Now they're in with their own peers, their own age group, they're welcomed every day and all the anxieties they've had are starting to reduce.' Although the proposed changes won't impact Grace or any students from Our Lady of Fatima's for the upcoming academic year, Darryl says the prospect of a reduction in special school places for children with (MGLD) sends 'shivers' down his spine. "The Department of Education and the NCSE speak of expanding special classes in mainstream schools and a 'gradual phased basis' for changes to existing special schools, but what does that truly mean for our children?' he asks. 'Will the nuanced, individualised support that makes Our Lady of Fatima so exceptional be replicated in a mainstream setting? My fear, and the fear of countless other parents, is that it simply cannot. 'If this leads to a significant reduction in places for children with MGLD at schools like Our Lady of Fatima, it will have a far-reaching, devastating effect on hundreds of potential future students. We cannot afford to lose these vital spaces, these havens of tailored education. We implore the Department of Education to recognise the irreplaceable value of schools like Our Lady of Fatima and ensure that the needs of all children with special educational needs, including those with MGLD, continue to be met with the highest standard of care and specialized provision. Our children's futures depend on it. 'This isn't just about administrative adjustments; it's about the very heart of how we support our most vulnerable children.' Darryl's fears extend beyond his own situation, beyond that of the school's current student body. 'There's a lot of parents out there who had thought their children would be going to Our Lady of Fatima in the next couple of years and they're worried about what's going to happen with their child now.' Nicola and Thomas's story Gerard reached fourth class in a mainstream setting before it became apparent that his situation was no longer sustainable. While he got on well with his peers, was liked by his classmates, the academic challenges were mounting, causing the young boy severe distress. "He used to be crying going into mainstream, it was so hard on him, he couldn't cope with it,' says his dad Thomas. 'At night time he couldn't sleep with the anxiety, the worry.' Now 15, Gerard, who has autism and MGLD, had done his level best to keep up, but the school setting just wasn't appropriate for his needs. 'He went as far as fourth class, at that point even those within the school felt he needed more,' says mam Nicola. 'They gave him plenty of support, looked after him really well, he was popular with the other kids and socially he mixed with everyone. But academically he began to feel the pressure, he would say to us, 'why am I struggling, why are things so hard? Everyone else can do it but I can't'.' The switch to Our Lady of Fatima happened six years ago and the changes in their son's demeanour have taken even his parents by surprise. 'It's been brilliant, he's done his Junior Cert, he's halfway through the Leaving Cert Applied,' says Nicola. 'He hated drama before, but he's acted in a play now; he's given everything a go, took part in things he would never have done before. Our Lady of Fatima has made a huge difference to his life, to his confidence; we can see how much he's matured.' Those levels of maturity have seen the teenager complete two blocks of work experience, one in a car dealership and the other with a local charity, and a realisation that 'anything is achievable'. This extends to his extra-curricular work, to embracing his own natural creativity and blending it with the skills he has acquired in school. 'He's started to write his own book, we never fell over when he came to us with that,' says Nicola. 'It's a science fiction story, he's done it all by himself. Seeing him doing that, the pride he takes in it, he takes in his schoolwork, is incredible. He's also done some public speaking. The school is navigating a path for him for when he finishes, ensuring there's variety there for him.' Karen's story Since the birth of her daughter 11 years ago, Karen Whitty says she'd had to 'fight for everything'. Diagnosed with an incredibly rare genetic syndrome which affects just 400 children worldwide, Daisy May also has a MGLD and attended a specialised pre-school from a young age. From there she was fortunate enough to go straight into Our Lady of Fatima, straight into an environment which has allowed her to flourish from the outset. 'Her specialist in Crumlin would have always said the reason she is doing so well is because she's in Our Lady of Fatima,' says Karen. 'There's no way she would ever be able to settle into a mainstream setting. I would not do that to her, I wouldn't let her go.' While her place is secure for the upcoming academic year, Daisy May and hundreds of children like her face an uncertain future due to the changes being implemented by the Department of Education and the NCSE. The prospect of having one of the few certainties in her daughter's life taken away fills Karen with dread. 'You have to fight for everything when you have a child with special needs. Everything. Basic things are a fight. Our Lady of Fatima is the one thing we have that we can rely on and now there's a possibility it could be taken away. I couldn't believe it when I saw the letter for the first time, I just thought 'this is typical, here we go'. "She's such a happy little thing at the moment, but the minute she'd walk into a playground in a mainstream school she'd be different straight away. And she doesn't feel that way in Our Lady of Fatima. In there she's not different, she doesn't even see difference, it's just such a lovely environment for her. It's the entire community, from the caretaker to the bus escorts and drivers, it's so reassuring as a parent.' Karen hopes that sense of reassurance will extend well into the future, a future which she believes would otherwise consist of her daughter sitting at home every day, her entire education gone to waste in an inappropriate setting. 'She has seven years left in Our Lady of Fatima, that'll bring her to the Leaving Cert. Her entire future is at stake here. The school will get her ready for when she leaves. She has so much to give and they will get it out of her, they'll make sure she's ready for the world when she walks out those gates for the last time, and that she won't just be left sitting at home with me.' Patience's story Prior to attending Our Lady of Fatima, Patience Saunders daughter had become something of an errand girl in the mainstream school she attended. It wasn't that her services were particularly in demand, that a lot of errands needed doing; it was just the only way the teachers could keep her out of their classes, and thus out of their hair. Now 15, Sophie has been in Our Lady of Fatima for eight years after spending her early years of education in a mainstream setting. "The teachers would have her doing errands, they'd say 'I can get on and teach the other children now when Sophie isn't here',' Patience recalls. "It used to break my heart, I'd actually get a pain in my chest when I got a call from the school telling me that Sophie was being disruptive, that she'd done such and such a thing again today.' Diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and a MGLD, Sophie is now flourishing in Our Lady of Fatima, in an environment where there is 'lots of acceptance, and love among her peers'. 'For her it's not a school, it's a community,' says her mother. 'The confidence she has now, the belief in herself, she's just a completely different person there.' In the coming academic year Sophie will take on her first set of state exams, and, far from being apprehensive, she is relishing the project. 'She'll be doing her Junior Cert next year and she's excited about taking on the new subjects, they go to Selskar College and St Peter's for some of them,' says Patience. 'She just wants to fit in, I think that's all anybody wants in life. Our Lady of Fatima gives them the tools to become a member of society. If she had remained in mainstream she would have stopped going to school. Once she reached first year in secondary that would have been it.' The future In the wake of the letter issued by the Department of Education, Our Lady of Fatima and the other 29 special schools for children with MGLD issued a joint statement to Education Minister Helen McEntee. It called upon both the Department and the NCSE to 'protect our model, to expand provision across the board, and to invest in the full range of needs' and for Minister McEntee to meet them in person to discuss the issues they are facing. 'It is her responsibility to stop this harmful action, to engage with staff and parents affected and to consider alternatives,' read the statement. And in the Dáil, on July 1, Wexford TD George Lawlor offered his full support to Our Lady of Fatima and schools potentially impacted by these proposed changes. Noting that pupils from the Wexford school had recently gone on to third level and been accepted onto apprenticeship programmes, Deputy Lawlor said these schools, and the children who attend them, needed to be supported. 'We need to stand up for the children with a mild, general learning disability because they thrive in places like Our Lady of Fatima school. They thrive in what these schools offer them. Children who attend special schools like Our Lady of Fatima would definitely struggle for many different reasons, including mental health or high anxiety levels, if they were compelled to go to a mainstream school. 'The students in the likes of Our Lady of Fatima in Wexford town flourish. This school offers the primary curriculum, junior certificate level and level 3 subjects, and has started senior cycle level 2 and the leaving certificate applied. The students receive the same as they would in a mainstream school but the difference is the number of students is smaller. The anxiety they would have felt in a mainstream school has been taken away. Our Lady of Fatima special school can attend to their needs. As a result, the students in this wonderful school and wonderful schools like it across the country are successful in accessing the curriculum. 'The argument that no child should pass the school that is right beside their house is understood, but schools such as the one I have mentioned should be an option for parents who want to send their children to them. The policy outlined in Circular 39/2025 (letter from the Department) creates the risk of students being very unhappy in an environment in which they do not flourish. The success of the children of Our Lady of Fatima special school when they leave school is proof of how it works. "There is a strong chance that these students would not have been able to achieve this in a mainstream setting. Our Lady of Fatima special school is a model that works and the feeling now is that this model is at risk and that the education of the children who are content and anxiety free is at risk. Darryl Cogley, the chairperson of the school parents' association, has a daughter who originally attended mainstream school and then moved to Our Lady of Fatima special school. 'He said that children like his daughter require a specialised school and educational environment, and dedicated support. She got it at Our Lady of Fatima special school and continues to flourish on a day-to-day basis. I ask the Minister of State to re-examine Circular 39/2025 for the benefit of these wonderful schools across the country." Returning to the parents, they say there is one reason behind the proposed changes, one reason why the Department wants to change the provision of special education throughout the country. 'It's down to a lack of funding and resources," says Vanessa, 'they don't want to spend money building schools for these children, schools that are needed. They don't want to invest, they're saying 'you know what, we'll get the kids from MGLD and we'll put them into mainstream and put the kids with profound needs in there instead'. 'But how are teachers going to teach children with MGLD children in classes that are already packed, when their resources are already stretched?' On a potential meeting with either Minister McEntee or the Minister for Special Education, Michael Moynihan, the parents have one simple requirement. 'Engage with us, that's all we want,' says Darryl. 'Come down and talk to us and the parents from the other schools.' They have contacted both departments says Vanessa, but with varying results. 'That's the worst insult. 'Thanks for you letter, here's a generic response, it's been noted'.


Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Health
- Irish Independent
Record number of special schools sanctioned in Dublin for upcoming school year, cabinet to hear
Earlier this year, Ms McEntee sanctioned 400 additional special classes across the country for the 2025/2026 school year, which will create spaces for 2,700 children with special educational needs (SENs). Last month, Ms McEntee told the Dáil that while 92pc of children identified as in need of school place had been allocated one, Dublin remained a challenge. 'We have an outline of all the counties and where there are larger numbers, there are clear pathways. The challenge we still have - I do not think anybody has denied this - is with Dublin,' the minister said in June. Today, the minister will inform cabinet that 400 new special classes will be provided for the upcoming school year and of these, 98 will be in Dublin and will provide places for an additional 588 students. Ms McEntee will also tell cabinet her plans to sanction school places for September 2026, with the vast majority of new classes to be sanctioned by the end of December this year. This, the minister will tell colleagues, will give parents greater certainty before the academic year and also provide schools with more time to plan and establish those new classes. Cabinet will also be given an update on progress on the Education Therapy Service, which will see therapists working in special schools. The minister will inform cabinet that a recruitment campaign will begin soon to recruit both Speech and Language Therapists and Occupational Therapists for the service. These therapists will be recruited by the National Council for Special Education and will be offered the same terms and conditions as therapists working in the HSE. Meanwhile, Minister of State Mary Butler will inform cabinet that the compensation scheme put in place following the Maskey Report into specialist services in South Kerry Camhs. Published in 2022, the Maskey review examined the treatment of children attending Camhs in south Kerry and found the care received by 240 young people did not meet the standards it should have. While significant harm was caused to 46 children and young people, the review found. A state scheme was set up in the aftermath of the report, which has had a very high level of uptake, cabinet will be told. A total of 230 applications have been made to the scheme. Of 83 of these applications which have gone to mediation so far, 74 have concluded in settlement. The remainder of the applications are awaiting a determination or are adjourned and expected to resume. Ms Butler will tell cabinet that the scheme has meant that children and families have experienced a resolution without having to go through an adversarial court process. A separate review by Dr Collette Halpin into the care of children in North Kerry CAMHS is now being finalised and the Department of Health is awaiting the submission of the final report of that review.


RTÉ News
19-06-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Ministers publish document outlining education plans
The Minister for Education and Youth and Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion have published a document outlining their plans this year for education. Helen McEntee said 'Education Plan 2025' outlined a significant body of work "to deliver for everyone in our school and youth services' communities". The plan includes the establishment of a promised new education therapy service which will see therapists return to working in special schools in the next school year. Children attending special schools used to have access to supports such as occupational and speech and language therapies in their school but this service was removed in recent years, and now work is being done to reinstate access. The two ministers said they intend that the National Council for Special Education will commence work with an aim to provide 90 therapists to work in 45 special schools in the next school year, starting initially with occupational and speech and language therapists. Minister McEntee said supporting children with additional needs and tackling educational disadvantage were "key priorities" of hers. The minister said she would work with schools to reduce the costs they are facing, and also work to reduce costs faced by parents, such as the cost of uniforms. She said consultation with parents would be a key feature. Minister Michael Moynihan said work to finalise the SNA workforce development plan was ongoing and would help pave the way for how best to support SNAs in the future, while also ensuring appropriate supports are in place to facilitate attendance and participation by all children in school. The plan sets out the actions which will be implemented each quarter by the Department. Half-year progress reports will be published, with a new plan published each year.


Irish Independent
26-05-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
‘We waited, hoped and fought for this class. It's like a cruel betrayal' – parents frustrated after promised autism class is withdrawn
Today at 21:30 Parents who had been promised an autism class for their children say they are 'frustrated', 'let down' and 'heartbroken' after learning that it will no longer be proceeding. When a special class had been made available for Scoil Teampall Toinne in Ballyporeen, Co Tipperary, for September, Linda Meade and her husband Patrick Meade were over the moon. It meant their four-year-old son Reigan, who was diagnosed with autism last year, would get to go to the same school as his older brother and friends. After being informed that Scoil Teampall Toinne would have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) class, Ms Meade refused the offer of a place at another school which would have catered for her son's needs. However, parents have now been told that the ASD class will no longer be happening. 'We live in the countryside where services and supports for children with additional needs are already few and far between,' Ms Meade said. 'We struggle for assessments, for therapies, for any kind of support. And now, a class that could have made a real difference is gone. 'How are we supposed to explain this to our children?' An email from the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) stated that the 'conditions under which the class was sanctioned had significantly changed'. 'The class was sanctioned based on an agreement with the school that they had permanent accommodation available for a special class to open in September 2025,' a NCSE employee told parents. 'Since then, the school have [sic] notified the department that rent will need to be paid on the accommodation and that a permanent build will be required. As a result, the sanction could not progress'. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more We are not asking for special treatment – we are asking for equal opportunities, for dignity, for the right for every child to be educated in a place that supports them While parents have been advised that the support of special needs assistants will be provided, they fear their children will end up being 'left behind'. Ms Meade said it was her understanding that a fee has to be paid for the building – which is located next to the main school – but she understood that the 'fee was very negotiable'. 'It doesn't make any sense,' she said. 'We have waited, hoped and fought for this class. Our children cannot wait years for services that should be basic rights. We are not asking for special treatment – we are asking for equal opportunities, for dignity, for the right for every child to be educated in a place that supports them'. 'This decision feels like a cruel betrayal,' she added. Josephine Sweeney's daughter, Eily (7), is another one of the children set to lose out. Eily is currently in senior infants at Scoil Teampall Toinne. While she has been able to manage with help from the SNAs so far, going forward she will need even greater support, which is why her mother was 'delighted' when she found out an ASD class would be made available. I cannot overemphasise the reaction Eily would have, impacting all areas of her life, and our entire family life, if she had to leave Ballyporeen to access the day-to-day assistance she needs 'One of the big things doctors said when Eily received her diagnosis is that they [students with autism] can manage for junior and senior infants, but once they get past that, it gets more academic and that's where they start to fall behind. 'Eily particularly struggles with any type of change to the normal, becoming agitated and very distressed, even if we were only to change the route we take to a familiar location. 'She remains upset for a considerable amount of time afterwards and gets very distraught if things will change from the familiar again. 'I cannot overemphasise the reaction Eily would have, impacting all areas of her life, and our entire family life, if she had to leave Ballyporeen to access the day-to-day assistance she needs to help navigate her way through the educational and social aspects of school'. The Department of Education said an additional 399 new special education classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE for the 2025/2006 school year. Another 300 special school places and five new special schools are also being established. 'The NCSE has advised the department that sufficient special class capacity has already been created in this area so that children who require special class placements are able to access them for September 2025. "In some cases, children may wish to remain in their local school, where they will be supported by the special education resources that are provided to mainstream schools.' It said queries on individual classes should be referred to the NCSE. However, the NCSE did not respond to requests for comment. While the department said there will be nearly 4,000 available spaces for children in special education classes next year, it does not appear that Scoil Teampall will be among them. The school was contacted for comment.

The Journal
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Special Needs Assistants who lose positions in a school to benefit from redeployment scheme
SPECIAL NEEDS ASSISTANTS who lose their jobs due to falling enrolment or reduced care needs will soon be able to be redeployed to a school which has a vacant post. Special needs assistants (SNAs) support pupils who have care needs resulting from a disability, behavioural difficulties or a significant medical issue. They are allocated to schools to work with children who have specific care needs and they provide non-teaching care support. Principals and/or board of managements deploy SNAs within schools to ensure that students with the greatest level of need receive the greatest level of supports. There are over 23,000 SNAs working in schools across the country. Education Minister Helen McEntee and Minister of State with responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion, Michael Moynihan, today confirmed that work is underway on a redeployment scheme for SNAs. Advertisement The SNA Redeployment scheme will allow SNAs in posts which may no longer be required for reasons such as falling enrolments, reduced care needs or changing demographics to be redeployed to a school which has a vacant post. The scheme will be operated by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and its CEO John Kearney remarked that it will 'not only facilitate allocation of SNA support where it is most needed but will also build capacity in the SNA workforce'. 'The scheme ensures valuable skills are not lost as the level of need shifts between schools,' said Kearney. Minister McEntee meanwhile said it is 'crucial that experienced SNAs can be redeployed to a school where a vacant post arises, allowing them to stay in the sector and ensuring they can continue to share their skills and experience'. She added that the scheme will 'increase job security for SNAs, and encourage prospective SNAs to enter the workforce'. 'Crucially, the scheme will benefit children and school communities by ensuring that the SNA workforce is agile, and in a position to respond to emerging needs,' said McEntee. Elsewhere, Minister Moynihan said the scheme will 'further bolster how we support children and schools by ensuring SNAs can stay within the workforce and do what they do best in supporting children with additional needs'. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal