The Department of Education has brought in a number of “baffling” changes to how resources for children with special needs are calculated, an advocacy group has complained.  

Last week, officials published a circular revising how the education profile of each school is calculated, which determines how many teaching hours for special education are needed. 

Speaking to Breakfast Briefing, Inclusion Ireland CEO Derval McDonagh said there had been no consultation with them and many of the changes came as a surprise to them. 

“Some of the changes that we noted in the circular last week is that certain criteria have been removed,” she said. 

“This is baffling to us, we can’t really understand the rationale behind it; for example, one of the criteria that’s been removed is the criteria for children with complex educational needs. 

“The Department has given us some feedback on why this has been removed - but again, it’s very difficult for us to understand.” 

Ms McDonagh is seeking a meeting with officials “immediately” and is keen to relate Inclusion Ireland’s views on the changes. 

Research by the organisation has found that many children with special needs still have difficulty accessing education and Ms McDonagh said many of their stories are “heartbreaking”. 

“Forty-five percent of children and their families who answered our survey this week said their children had a lot of issues in school,” she said. 

“Such as a lack of support, they might be on reduced timetables or they’re facing anxiety and worries about starting their school day on this Monday morning.” 

General view of a primary school classroom during a lesson.

Ms McDonagh argued that it was beyond time that there should be a “basic expectation” that disabled children should be able to attend their local school. 

“Unfortunately, for many parents of disabled children, they cannot take those things for granted,” she said. 

“I spoke to a Mum just last week, she has three children; two of those children get to go to their local school with their peers and her third child, just because she happens to have a disability, has to get into a taxi every morning and travel for an hour and a half to school, away from her siblings and peers.” 

In a statement, the Department of Education said the criteria has been changed because of concerns about the accuracy of data about children with special needs. 

It also said existing hours for children with complex needs will be retained in each school.

Main image: A boy raising his hand in a classroom.