19
Jan
2017
One of the biggest barriers facing children with Down syndrome in education is finally being dismantled.
The ‘soft’ barriers to enrolment that many parents of children with disabilities have faced have been removed with the announcement by the Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton that a new model for allocating Special Education Teaching Resources to mainstream primary and post-primary schools will be introduced from September 2017.
One of the biggest barriers facing children with Down syndrome in education is finally being dismantled.
The ‘soft’ barriers to enrolment that many parents of children with disabilities have faced have been removed with the announcement by the Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton that a new model for allocating Special Education Teaching Resources to mainstream primary and post-primary schools will be introduced from September 2017.
What this means is that no school can say that they cannot accept your child in their school due to a lack of resources.
‘No school can say that they cannot accept your child in their school due to a lack of resources.’
All schools will receive a ‘baseline allocation’ of resource teaching hours for children with special needs, including children with Down syndrome.
We here at Down Syndrome Ireland continue to lobby the Department of Education and Skills to ensure that children with Down syndrome have access to the best education resources possible. As part of that, we have been heavily involved in the consultative process with the Department for the past number of years to ensure that the new system will benefit children with Down syndrome.
Our Education Consultant Patricia Griffin and Speech & Language Consultant Nicola Hart met with Department of Education and Skills officials again last week to outline the educational needs of children with Down syndrome.
As a result, Down syndrome has been included on the list of ‘complex disorders’ for the allocation of resources. Under this new model, children with Down syndrome have the right to access resource teaching hours without an early assessment – lifting a huge burden of worry and anxiety for parents.
Until now, a child with Down syndrome had to undergo a psychological assessment prior to being admitted into primary school.
Under the new model, you will be assured that there will no decrease in any existing allocations for children with Down syndrome.
‘Under the new model, you will be assured that there will no decrease in any existing allocations for children with Down syndrome.’
The allocations for each school, along with the new circular for the scheme, guidance for schools on how to distribute resources under the new model, and details of an appeal process for school will be issued to schools in the coming weeks.
Down Syndrome Ireland has lobbied on your behalf to ensure that your children will have access to the best support in education possible and we’re pleased to see that the Government is committed to delivering better outcomes for children with special needs.
We must ensure that all children with Down syndrome have access to the best supports so they can achieve their full potential.
We at Down Syndrome Ireland will continue to monitor the roll-out of the new model and ensure all children with Down syndrome are educated in a fair, equitable and inclusive way.
We will actively canvass and lobby the Government so the voices of people with Down syndrome and their families are heard.
We will keep you up to date as soon we are have more information.
NOTE: You can also view the Department of Education & Skills’ Press Release.
