July 28, 2024, Newry: Killeavy mother says her Autistic son is being 'failed by the Education Authority'
A Killeavy mother is highlighting what she believes are failures of the Education Authority in getting her autistic son a place at Rathore School. With just a month till schools return her son still has not a school placement.
Jacqueline Carroll hope that she can help raise awareness of what is happening to special needs children in our community. Her son, Patrick, is 11 years old. He has autism, severe learning difficulties and he is non verbal. He also has communication and social interaction difficulties, along with emotional and wellbeing needs.
Carroll explains "Patrick attended nursery in Rathore Special School Newry and during that year (aged 4) he was diagnosed with autism and the EA informed us that he would need to attend an autism unit in a mainstream school. We begged Rathore's principal and the educational psychologist to let him stay, as we believed it was the most appropriate setting to meet his needs but we were told we didn't have a choice."
Her son spent 7 years in an autism specific class in St Joseph's Primary School Bessbrook. Carroll said "Unfortunately Patrick faced huge difficulties and challenges, especially over the last 3 years, in particular both his p6 and p7 years as he was separated from his peers (whom he spent 5 years with) as he was deemed by school as not fit to transition to the learning support class or mainstream class, he did not receive any transition preparation for this change, unlike the other pupils who were brought to their new classes on several occasions and met their new teachers etc before they finished their p5 year.
"He was on heavily reduced hours and on multiple occasions absent at the request of the school. He spent his limited time in school at a table in a hallway between 2 classrooms, as he was not coping in the classroom with children up to 4 years younger than him. He spent his first 30 minutes of school outside in the yard, in all weather conditions, to help him regulate. He continued to regress as a result of being in the wrong setting. He missed out on education and therapies."
Carroll continued "We had serious concerns for his safety and wellbeing due to several serious incidents in school and we began the process of trying to transfer Patrick to Rathore Special School Newry during his p6 year as advised by all professionals involved, with the support of primary school, as they agreed that a special school would be the most appropriate placement suitable for his ever-increasing needs."
Carroll says that in June 2023 the EA SEN link officer informed them that Rathore was oversubscribed and no placement available but that his name would be on the list if a space were to become available and that Patrick would spend his p7 year in his current setting. They were also told that a multidisciplinary meeting would take place in September 2023 but this didn't happen. Carroll adds that they were told that they would have to go through this whole process again during p7 as Patrick has to transfer to secondary school and that he would stand a better chance of gaining placement in Rathore.
The family are in limbo currently, with less than 5 weeks to the new term begins they have no placement for Patrick for September. Carroll said "we cannot buy a uniform, we can't show Patrick photos of his new school, new teacher, new assistants or new classroom. We can't show him a schedule of his school day, what time he starts or finishes, or what time lunch is at?
"This is causing Patrick & our family huge distress and worry. He depends on routine and structure every day, in all aspects of his daily life. He needs to know exactly what is happening. He is the person suffering! A vulnerable SEN child who needs appropriate education and therapies suitable to his complex needs.
"He is being failed by the EA. He quite clearly meets the criteria for Rathore Special School Newry."
Newry.ie asked the Education Authority (EA) if they would like to make a comment. A spokesperson said: “We fully understand that this is an anxious time for families and are committed to ensuring that all children with special educational needs (SEN) receive an appropriate school place that meets their needs.
“Unfortunately, as demand exceeds capacity for most schools, not all children can be placed in their parents’ preferred location. That said, all decisions on allocations will reflect the considered advice and input of relevant professionals and are taken in the context of the specific needs of the pupil.
“A designated Family Link Support Officer is supporting the family until an appropriate placement has been confirmed.”
His mother is hoping this will be sooner rather than later. "He doesn't have a voice, we are his voice and need to fight for him." she concluded.
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