Deadline for application to special classes

The Department of Education has confirmed that from this year, parents must notify the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) of the need for a special class or special school place by October 1 , four months earlier than in previous years. The stated aim is to allow the NCSE to sanction new classes by December, giving schools more time to plan and reducing the uncertainty that has plagued parents in recent years.

Independent Tipperary TD, Mattie McGrath, has said that while efforts to improve the planning of special education provision are welcome, the decision to require parents to notify the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) of the need for a special class by October 1 risks placing significant additional pressure on families.

“Anything that improves the system for children with additional needs and gives schools more certainty is to be welcomed. For years now we have had a situation where Schools and parents were still waiting until June to have classes or class places sanctioned for the next school year and this caused huge stress to parents and schools. However, this earlier deadline may inevitably heap more stress onto parents who are already struggling to secure timely assessments and diagnoses for their children.

It is simply unrealistic to expect every family to have a diagnosis in place by October 1st, given the chronic backlogs that continue to exist in our health services,” said Deputy McGrath

Deputy McGrath encouraged parents to make their submissions before the deadline where possible, but insisted that the NCSE must show flexibility and accommodate children who are diagnosed after October:

“I want to encourage all parents who have a diagnosis to make their submission by October 1 by logging on to the NCSE Website however, children cannot be penalised because the system failed to give them an assessment in time. The NCSE must guarantee that any child who receives a diagnosis after October 1 will still have equal access to a special class or the supports they require. The right to an education cannot be reduced to an arbitrary deadline.”

Deputy McGrath concluded by urging the Department of Education and the NCSE to take a more compassionate and realistic approach.

“This year we had Children who had a diagnosis and who were recommended for a special class not be accommodated due to This change cannot become another bureaucratic hurdle that leaves families in limbo. We need a system that works with parents, not against them.”