Brendan Smith urges national therapy service for children in schools
Brendan Smith criticised delays in supports for children with additional needs and called for the immediate establishment of a national therapy service in education. He pressed for a common application system, more special classes, timely therapies in schools and stronger enforcement of school placement obligations.
He welcomed proposals in the Programme for Government but said proposals alone are insufficient. He insisted a national therapy service in education is essential, with therapists providing therapies in schools, and that a successful early rollout is critical.
He argued that urgency must attach to a comprehensive implementation plan and that delays will no longer be acceptable. He said those children have waited far too long for basic and essential supports and repeated that timely interventions and appropriate therapies are urgently needed.
He emphasised there should be no excuse for the absence of any place for any child, calling school placement a constitutional right and pointing to existing legislation that obliges schools and the State. He said legislation may need to be strengthened where it has not been enacted and warned of a deterioration in practice, particularly at post-primary level.
He proposed building the national therapy service quickly on the newly sanctioned educational therapy support service of the NCSE. He said he will be talking to a number of ministers on the issue and reiterated that the Programme for Government provides for establishment of the service.
Calls for a national therapy service
He welcomed proposals in the Programme for Government but said proposals alone are insufficient. He insisted a national therapy service in education is essential, with therapists providing therapies in schools, and that a successful early rollout is critical.
Urgency and implementation
He argued that urgency must attach to a comprehensive implementation plan and that delays will no longer be acceptable. He said those children have waited far too long for basic and essential supports and repeated that timely interventions and appropriate therapies are urgently needed.
School placement and legal obligations
He emphasised there should be no excuse for the absence of any place for any child, calling school placement a constitutional right and pointing to existing legislation that obliges schools and the State. He said legislation may need to be strengthened where it has not been enacted and warned of a deterioration in practice, particularly at post-primary level.
Building on NCSE support and next steps
He proposed building the national therapy service quickly on the newly sanctioned educational therapy support service of the NCSE. He said he will be talking to a number of ministers on the issue and reiterated that the Programme for Government provides for establishment of the service.
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Transcript
There are welcome proposals in the Programme for Government in relation to the very urgent need to improve services and supports for children with additional needs. Every day I talk to parents who are utterly frustrated and very concerned about the lack of timely interventions through appropriate therapies. We need a common application system and also enough special classes to enable children to attend schools in their local community. Proposals are not just enough. We need urgency attached to a comprehensive implementation plan for such measures. We need a national therapy service in education with therapists providing therapies in schools. This service can be built quickly on the newly sanctioned educational therapy support service of the NCSE. A successful and early rollout of a national therapy service for schools is essential and delays will no longer be acceptable. Those children have waited far too long for basic and essential supports. First of all, I agree in terms of increased resources for services, toward services for children with additional needs. In respect of school, there should be no excuse for an absence of any place for any child. It is a constitutional right and there is legislation there that places an obligation on schools and on the state. And in my view, we may need to have to strengthen that legislation if it has not been enacted. I think there has been a reluctance to enact it in some cases. We had a situation before where we had a clear pupal deterioration for children with special needs. It was adhered to. That practice has, in some areas, waned in recent times, particularly at post-primary level. That is not acceptable. And we'll be talking to a number of ministers on this issue. A 100% in the program for government provides for the establishment of a national therapy service in education, which will be progressed. Thank you.