Mary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank everybody for coming in. It is good to see Ms Maher again. I know what a strong advocate she is and the excellent work she does. Mr. Byrne is on the same wavelength as me and I commend what he said. I have many years’ experience of teaching too. Mr. Byrne hit the nail on the head when he said that the teachers need to be suitably qualified. Since becoming a Member of the Seanad, I have been saying that we need to expand our programme for teaching children with special educational needs, SEN. I know there have been some advances but everybody in a mainstream school should be suitably qualified in SEN. In particular, those who teach in special schools should have special qualifications. My experience, anecdotal and personal, is that people who have good intentions need to be suitably qualified to teach in this area. I say that as a teacher with no SEN qualifications but as a mother. I could teach so much better when I understood the children. That is what is needed to be a very good proactive teacher.

The reference to the transition programme with the educational psychologist is a fantastic idea. I wish to God it was available everywhere. Who paid for that educational psychologist? Did the school have to raise funds? How did it get around reducing the teacher’s timetable in respect of funding?

In County Louth, where I am from, there are nine special classes at national school level for children with special educational needs but there is only one second level school for those children in the county. There are huge anomalies. A child cannot be taken from one situation and put into another.

It came to my attention recently that a special needs assistant, SNA, in the classroom refused to take the child to the toilet or was told not to do that. Since starting this study, I have encountered many different roles for the SNA and would like clarification on the role. Is it the SNA’s job to do that? My impression was that the SNA was to look after the child’s hygiene and personal needs. The continuing professional development, CPD, courses should be rolled out everywhere. They are not compulsory but how many people take them?

Speaking again as the mother of an 18 year old, who finishes school next June, I am petrified about what will be there for him. He is not because I do not think he understands. A group has come in to talk to the children about taking them on a visit here or there. I have made inquiries about what is available, which is very limited. However, many parents, who have absolutely no idea, are sailing along. There has been no preparation for these children to leave school at the age of 18. They should be prepared as they progress through secondary school for life after they reach 18. My son turned 18 two weeks ago and suddenly went from child services to adult services. I was told he had to stop physiotherapy because that is not available in the adult services. I said he was still the same child on the Monday he was on the previous Friday but his birthday fell on the Saturday. The continuity of services is hopeless.