THE principal of North Dublin’s only special needs school has told of her frustration and disappointment at having to cater for 137 pupils next year with two fewer SNAs.
St Ciaran’s Special School in Ballygall is one of a small number of schools that cater specifically for children with special needs.
The majority of its pupils, who range in age from five to 18, have additional complex needs.
Some pupils require nappy changing, peg feeding (feeding through a tube directly into their stomachs), as well as the administration of medication to treat epilepsy and chronic asthma.
Other children have speech and language difficulties, emotional behavioural problems or are within the autistic spectrum.
Principal Valerie Monaghan explained how the school would now have to provide all this additional care for its pupils with 11 SNAs as opposed to the 13 it had this year.
“We are extremely disappointed with the reduction in our SNA numbers as they are so desperately needed because all of our children have complex additional needs other than educational,
? she told Northside People.
“At the moment we’re just trying to figure out how we’re going to manage with less resources.
“We feel like our school is being viewed and assessed as a mainstream school in terms of our SNA allocation even though each one of the children has additional needs.
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Ms Monaghan was critical of the Department of Education’s system of SNA allocation, which she said was no longer in the interest of the child.
“Children are no longer the centre of the system because of the many layers of bureaucracy,
? she stated.
“Our school is all about giving children who are used to constantly struggling and failing a chance to succeed and achieve their potential.
“Many of our children come to us from mainstream schools where it’s obvious their needs are not and cannot be met.
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The frustrated school principal explained how, as the school year draws to a close this week, she is still in dark as to the number of teachers she will be allocated for the next school year.
“It’s crazy that we are expected to plan for the next school year not knowing how many teachers we’re allowed to have,
? she added.
Local councillor Paul McAulliff (FF) described the decision to cut the resources for the school as
“extremely short-sighted
?.
“Not only is it deeply unfair to target the most vulnerable children in this way, the long-term costs to the Government will be greater as a result,
? he stated.
“I have met many of the young children attending the school and I have seen first-hand the amazing work that is done on a daily basis for these particularly vulnerable children.
“The demands on the staff are enormous and are increasing every year.
“Given the unique circumstances of the school, I am once again appealing to Minister for Education to reconsider.
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Earlier this month, the Minister for Education Ruairà Quinn announced the allocation of SNAs following assessments completed by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
The Minister expressed his satisfaction that despite the tough economic situation, the Government had
“ring-fenced the money needed to maintain SNA and resource teacher numbers”.
“My department is also formally seeking advice from the NCSE on policy options for the allocation of these valuable resources in the future,
? he stated.
“I want to make sure that children and young people with special needs are getting the best possible outcomes with the valuable but limited resources we have available to us.
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A total of 10,575 SNA posts have been made available to schools nationwide for the coming school year.
Of these, 10,311 posts will be allocated immediately while the balance of 264 will be provided throughout the school year to cater for new assessments due to disability, new entrants, emergency or late applications.