Nov 14, 2019, Journal: South Dublin schools urged to open more special needs places to tackle shortage https://www.thejournal.ie/joe-mchugh-south-dublin-schools-special-needs-4892444-Nov2019/ MINISTER FOR EDUCATION Joe McHugh has appealed to primary schools across south Dublin to increase places for children with special needs. A report by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) identified 82 children needing specialist school places for this or next year in the south Dublin region due to shortages in both special and mainstream schools. Under Section 37A of the Education Act 1998, McHugh has the power to direct schools to make additional special education provision available and ensure sufficient places are provided…. Under the legislation, several steps must be followed before any order or direction is made. The NCSE has to form the opinion that there is an insufficient number in an area, the minister must serve a statutory notice to schools and then he has to consider representations from all of the parties involved. Consultation has been ongoing with schools across the region, according to the department, but it has not as yet resulted in an agreement to offer additional places. The section 37A legislation was activated for the first time last April in the Dublin 15 area, leading to the establishment of Danu Special School as well as six schools offering to open special classes…. I am concerned that engagement with schools in south Dublin has not secured sufficient special education provision but I am also conscious that schools need to be properly supported to provide special education. “I appreciate the concerns of principals and their staff but my message to them is this – I am committed to ensuring that a partnership approach will ensure we provide sufficient special education school places in south Dublin.”…
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Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.
Anne Dachel, Media editor, Age of Autism
http://www.ageofautism.com/media/
(John Dachel, Tech. assist.)
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What will happen in another 4 years? How can we go on like this? This is a national (and international) problem of monumental proportions. We have an entire new class of children who cannot be accommodated by the system: many are manifestly neurologically impaired. Meanwhile, the government and the medical profession sleep on regardless.
John Stone,
UK media editor, Age of Autism
The generation of American children born after 1990 are arguably the sickest generation in the history of our country.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
It seemed to me that with rising autism prevalence, you’d also see rising autism costs to society, and it turns out, the costs are catastrophic.
They calculated that in 2015 autism cost the United States $268 billion and they projected that if autism continues at its current rate, we’re looking at one trillion dollars a year in autism costs by 2025, so within five years.
Toby Rogers, PhD, Political economist
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