Hope in battle for school places in Dublin 15

Securing school places is a struggle for parents of children with autism in Dublin 15, but a new trial has offered some hope for parents.

A new trial, called the Dublin 15 Common Application Trial, will allow parents to streamline their application process.

With the current school year well underway, the rigmarole involved with securing school places for next September is revving up.

Helena Power, principal of the Powerstown Educate Together National School, has reported that parents have been forced to apply to over 25 schools across Dublin, Kildare and Meath to no avail.

“They’ve had to print hundreds of pages of reports, obtain certified birth certificates for applications, and meticulously track 25+ school websites for admission dates and application forms,” she explained.

The parents have to complete over 25 different forms, ranging from three to fourteen pages each, a process which has “left many of our parents overwhelmed.”

“On top of that, they are faced with the fear that their children may not secure a school place by September 2025, knowing that finding a home tutor is an unlikely alternative.”

“As the Principal of Powerstown Educate Together National School, I have had the privilege of watching our current Hawthorn class, which is home of our 6th class autistic students, flourish over the past eight years. Their journey has enabled our school to evolve into a more inclusive, child-centred, and supportive learning environment.

However, she has expressed concern that the secondary school system may not be wholly suitable for those same students.

The Dublin 15 Common Application trial, looks to make the process easier for parents.

“The Dublin 15 Common Application Trial is an important first step in simplifying this burdensome admissions process for our most vulnerable children and families,” she said.

The trial, which was launched with the support of the National Council of Special Education (NCSE), allows parents to apply for any of the participating schools. 

“This single application process eliminates the need for multiple forms, helping to reduce the stress and complexity often associated with school enrollment,” she said.

Participating schools include: St Brigid’s Mixed National School, Scoil Bhríde Buachaillí, Scoil Oilibhéir, St Ciaran’s National School, Sacred Heart National School, Castleknock Educate Together National School, Mary Mother of Hope Senior National School, Scoil Choilm Community National School, Mary Mother of Hope Junior National School, Hansfield Educate Together National School, Powerstown Educate Together National School, Pelletstown Educate Together National School and Scoil Mhuire Mount Sackville.

The application window, which opened on November 4, will close on January 8 and parents will be notified of the decision on January 24.

“This new system should not only support parents but also enable forward planning. By centralising applications, the NCSE will have a clearer picture of the number of applicants, their specific needs, the resources required in each school, parent educational preferences for their child and which educational placements are most appropriate for each child.”

“We hope that the NCSE will continue to work closely with the participating schools to ensure adequate supports are in place from day one for each child.”

She said it was important to note that the streamlined application process does not tackle the underlying issue of the lack of supports for children with autism in Dublin 15.

While the trial looks to make the process less stressful for children and parents, Trench said “it is important to recognise that this trial will not fully resolve the issue of supply versus demand when it comes to autism classes,” noting “not all who apply will secure a place.”

“While this trial does not guarantee admission, the shared application window, offers a more streamlined process. It is our hope that the NCSE will be able to secure suitable placements for every child who does not get a spot in the 13 participating schools,” she said.

Sile Parsons of Autism School Dublin 15 parent group stated “the D15ACAT is a fantastic step forward in streamlining the process for parents of additional needs children applying to multiple schools for an appropriate school placement.  This trial program will hopefully pave the way for more schools to come on board next year.”

“Many of the applicant parents I spoke to were very welcoming of what they see as a far more user-friendly process” said Antóin Ó Cléirigh, principal of Scoil Oilibhéir.

Alma Moran, principal of Mary Mother Of Hope JNS said “the trial has been positively received by many of our parent applicants; the aim of making the autism class application process easier for parents seems to be welcome and to date working.”

“Our D15 principal network continues to be positively disposed to supporting parents facing the challenge of finding school places as much as possible. We hope to continue to enhancing relations between schools and other agencies and will monitor the progress of D15ACAT over the coming months.”

Nikki Eagers, parent of a child with autism said  parents have so much on their plate managing the additional needs of their children – having this in place would relieve a significant amount of pressure and stress.”

“As the chairperson of a participating school, this would reduce administration efforts as many parents need lots of help and can often miss providing required information. said Nikki Eagers, parent of a child with autism and chairperson at one of the participating schools.

Interested parents can email [email protected] for more information.