As mums, we all know the stress of getting a secondary school placement for our children – even with just the simple considerations like finding a place near to home or at least public transport, or maybe it’s making sure you child remains with their friends group or perhaps it's your preference for the school ethos, these all combine to make the process stressful for everyone involved. The applications, the waiting lists - it’s endless.
Consider for a moment this Dublin mum who has gone through the exact same process to find a placement for her son who has additional needs, with no success. Marrita Coyne has had eight refusals from special education schools, (two of which are in her catchment area) which means she currently has no placement for her son this September. Main stream schools with special units are full to the brim with endless waiting lists and many of which aren’t even suitable for her son who has a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and Autism.
Marrita knows hers is not the only family in this situation, and is frustrated at the lack of support for her and families like her struggling for basic education for their children in a system that is broken.
She has tried everything she can, including working with Tusla and the SENO (Special Education Needs Officer) in the Department of Education (who have both tried their hardest to help her, but unfortunately they cannot create a space where there is none). She has also looked to many many politicians for support, but to no avail. She says that the Government are promising funding and more schools but it's not happening fast enough. In an effort to highlight the challenges being faced by her and other families in a similar situation, she has sent this open letter to ministers to try and get the help she and her son so desperately deserve.
And we are asking you to support her in this effort.
You can help by contacting your local ministers on social media, or you can contact the Minister for Education - Norma Foley @NormaFoleyTD1 or Minister of State at the Department of Education with special responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion - Josepha Madigan @josephamadigan asking for their thoughts on this letter from a single mum from Dublin who just wants her child to go to school.
Dear Ministers,
I am writing this letter on behalf of every family in this country who are fighting for the rights of their children with additional needs. Every day, an endless battle for parents who are navigating through life with its harsh realities and the challenges we face daily. Parents learning as they go and doing the best they can. Children who should be a priority for the Government,but are simply not. Our educational system is broken. It’s fundamentally flawed.
My son – he’s soon to be 13 with a dual diagnosis. Like every other family in my situation, I have fought for him since the day he was born, fought for resource, support, assessments, reports, appointments and now the big battle – a secondary school education for him. No family should have to fight for that basic right.
To date, I have received 7 refusals from special education schools, 2 of which are in my catchment area. As I write this, I have no options for him for school this September, main stream school with units are full to the brim, with a 2 year waiting list.
Think about that for a second. Think about the impact that has on any child with additional needs and the family that support them. The school waiting lists are endless, the places limited, the funding is trickling down so very slowly. For many years now, I have received a standard response from parliamentary questions submitted on my behalf. Reassurances, promises of extra funding, more resource, more school places. All these promises flood in from Government Ministers, yet on the ground very, very little has changed.
The reality is that our children are not a priority in this country. Equal access to education does not exist for them. Every child in this country is entitled to an education, but more importantly the right education. An education that supports them, embraces their strengths, promotes self-confidence and independence. An education that keeps them safe and encourages them to be the very best they can be.
So, my question to you is how can I secure the right education for my son? How can every family fighting the same battle secure an education for their children? What happens next for us come September 2023? How long will it take before he receives the education he is entitled to?
I welcome your response and thank you for taking the time to read this.
Marrita Coyne
