Parents struggle to secure special needs school places for autistic twins

A DEVASTATED Dunshaughlin mother whose five-year-old twins don't have a school place in September has spoken out about the stress of the situation.

Gráinne Cannon's twins currently travel 86km a day to attend an ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) preschool, but have no place to go to primary school in September.

Grainne and her husband Paul are trying to secure a place for them in a Special Education Needs class attached to a mainstream school, but to no avail, despite funding been allocated to two local schools - Ratoath Junior NS and Rathbeggan NS to provide new SEN units, last September.

The twins, Lucy and George were diagnosed with autism, requiring level 3 support, and Global Developmental Delay in September 2021. They currently attend an ASD pre-school in Carlanstown, but should be attending primary school next year.

"They are both thriving and we are incredibly proud of them," says Grainne. "We decided they could undertake the journey to Carlanstown if it was only for a year. They will have completed playschool in June and now they have nowhere to go in September.

"I am in regular contact with our Special Education Needs Officer, who is striving to secure spaces for us.

"However, this task is becoming impossible. In Dunshaughlin, there are three primary schools: one of which has an ASD class, where there is one place with the possibility of a second. I have, of course, applied to schools in the surrounding areas such as Ratoath, Dunboyne, Rathbeggan, Ashbourne, Trim, Clonee and Ard Cath.

"Over the course of our application process, I have discovered, to my horror, that two schools (Ratoath Junior and Rathbeggan) were granted funding for ASD classes last year but will not be in a position to open this September. These schools are within a 10 mile radius of our home. This means that we have had to apply to schools further away from our community. Dunshaughlin is a lovely village and we are very happy here. George and Lucy have made some lovely friends. I do not wish for them to have to continue to travel to receive their education.

"I am aware that building classes takes a lot of time and effort, but surely temporary facilities can be arranged?," she said.

Deputy Darren O'Rourke called for the speedy delivery of a two-classroom special educational needs base at Ratoath Junior National School in the Dail last week.

"This project is much needed and it is welcome that it is funded, however, it is frustrating that it isn't progressing more quickly.

"The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) sanctioned a special class at Ratoath Junior National School as far back as November 2021. At that stage there was hope that progress would be made in advance of the current school year. Instead, we had to wait until September 2022 before funding for the reconfiguration project was made available through the additional school accommodation scheme.

"The project brief is to provide a two-classroom special educational needs base through the reconfiguration of three existing mainstream classrooms. The school submitted formal acceptance of the offer for reconfiguration works on 22 August 2022 and an official approval letter, advising the school of the funding allocated to reconfigure the three classrooms to meet the needs, and to provide a two-classroom special education needs base, was issued by the Department of Education on 2nd September 2022.

"The delivery of the project is devolved to the school authority (Board of Management) and a design team is appointed and is now preparing a Stage 1 Report for submission to the Department. Once that is submitted and approved by the Department of Education, the project can progress.

"It is very frustrating that the wheels turn so slowly. Five months on from 2nd September and we don't yet have an indicative date for project design. More importantly, we still don't have an indicative date for when the project will be delivered".

Cllr Nick Killian said he was disappointed progress has not been made on providing special needs facilities in Ratoath despite the approval given and urged that it proceed as quickly as possible so as to be ready in September.

"It is ridiculous that a parent from Dunsahughlin has to send their children to school 45 km away," he said.

Cllr Damien O'Reilly said he cannot understand how it has taken six months for a design team to reconfigure three classrooms into two classrooms at Ratoath JS

"The Baby Infants students at Ratoath Junior school could complete this simple task in a day. These two additional educational classrooms are needed to be opened for September 2023, parents cannot take any more delays in the area. It is a child's constitutional right to education, as close to their homes as possible."

The chair of Ratoath Junior School Board of Management, Mary Wallace, a former Minister for Disability said the architect was awaiting a planning exemption certificate from Meath County Council and after that will need disability and fire certificate approval. "After that , it can go to tender and we expect an update at a meeting today (Tuesday).

"There is no delay. We are going through the process. We want this to happen. It will be located in a lovely central part of the school with a courtyard outside," she said.

"The delivery of this project has been devolved to the school authority, which is the board of management, which acts as the contracting authority for the project.

In a recent letter to Cllr O'Reilly Education Minister Norma Foley confirmed funding had been approved for the provision of three mainstream classrooms and a two class SEN base for Rathbeggan School.

A spokesperson for Rathbeggan NS said they had received approval for three new classrooms. "Two special classes have been sanctioned by the Department of Education and Skills also. We are currently liaising with the Department of Education and Skills on this. Further information on timelines etc will be shared with the community as it becomes available."