Parents Confront Uncertainty Over SEN School Places
Parents of children attending a special educational needs (SEN) school have expressed distress after being informed there are no available school places for their children for the upcoming academic year.
Amy Gibney is among eight parents notified on Thursday that SEN schools throughout Belfast are either at full capacity or unable to adequately meet their children's educational needs.
The affected children are set to leave Oakwood School and Assessment Centre, which provides education up to Primary 4 (P4), but have not yet been allocated places at alternative schools starting in September.
The Education Authority (EA) acknowledged that demand for SEN placements continues to exceed available capacity, resulting in families not always securing their preferred schools.
Oakwood, along with several other mainstream schools in the region, offers education only up to P4, necessitating that pupils transition to other institutions for the remainder of their primary and secondary education.
Gibney told NI that she
"wouldn't wish this uncertainty"on anyone.
Parents reported that several pupils due to complete their time at Oakwood in September have been informed there is no confirmed school placement for them.
Gibney's son, Levi, who is autistic, non-verbal, and has a severe learning disability, remains without a confirmed school placement for September.
"Eight different sets of parents and kids are in this situation,"she stated.
"It seems to be a problem every year, these schools know that this is a problem, so why are our children's places not prioritised sooner. It's just going to continue happening."
She added that some parents received letters indicating no place was available but mentioned
"there might be alternative arrangements".
"We don't even know what those arrangements are,"she said.
"Is that home schooling? Is that waiting for a place to come? Could that be months? Is it residential respite?"
"They need somewhere that will be a nurturing environment for them,"she continued.
"I wouldn't wish this on anybody, it's crazy.
Our children thrive on routine, they need stability."
Stormont Education Committee Chair Labels Situation a 'Complete Failure'
Nick Mathison, chair of Stormont's education committee and Alliance MLA, described the circumstances as
"absolutely devastating"for the families affected.
"We wouldn't expect any other child finishing P4 in our education system to have nowhere to go,"he said.
Mathison criticized the Education Authority for a
"complete failure"to adequately plan for the subsequent stages of these children's education, noting that
"parents rightly feel let down."
He acknowledged that while the pressure on the EA has intensified in recent years, this issue should have been addressed earlier.
"This is not a new issue, it has been coming down the track for a number of years.
If a child commences their educational journey in a special school, which we know ends at P4, the planning should be starting then."
Recurring Problem Causes Anxiety for Parents
Gibney shared that she has previously experienced uncertainty regarding Levi's schooling.
When Levi was transitioning from nursery, she said they waited throughout the summer to learn if he would be accepted.
"I have been that parent who has sat not knowing if their child is even starting nursery in September. That's why I can't do this again,"she said.
"It's the anxiety of it all is the worry."
Gibney added that the EA advised her to
"phone weekly"for updates on their progress.
"It's very frustrating,"she commented.
She was informed on Thursday that a possible update from the EA might be available by the end of the month.
Parents Struggle to Secure Appropriate Placements
Sarah Duncan's eight-year-old son, Aodhán, is also currently without a school place.
Aodhán has autism, ADHD, a severe learning disability, and is non-verbal.
Duncan said she has been offered three alternative schooling options, but stated they do not
"meet the complexity"of her son's needs and have
"capacity issues."
"It's a devastating impact. Physically, mentally. It's been devastating as a family,"Duncan said.
She added that
"absolutely everything"requires a fight, and described the process as exhausting.
"It takes every single thing in my being to fight for Aodhán, it's just so disheartening no matter what you do, you're not getting any further."
Duncan characterized her son as
"a complex child"who
"needs to be in an environment to cope with those things."
"As far as I'm aware, there is no other facility that would be suitable other than a special school,"she said.
"In school he uses intense occupational therapy, speech and language, physiotherapy.
This isn't just to do with his learning, it's eating, toileting, taking care of him."
Education Authority Responds to Placement Challenges
In a statement, the Education Authority said it is
"actively working to secure placements for all Primary 4 transfer pupils, in consultation with parents and the identified needs of each child, keeping families informed as placements are confirmed."
The EA acknowledged that capacity pressures are a
"matter of serious concern."
"The Education Minister is seeking to address this through a SEN capital investment programme that has been submitted to the Executive."
