Ms Aisling McGrory:

I thank the Chair and members of the committee for the opportunity to address them on behalf of the Irish Association of Social Workers and to contribute to the discussion on Article 24 of the UNCRPD, specifically as it relates to inclusive education. I am speaking in my capacity as a senior social worker with a children’s disability network team. I am on a special schools team. I am joined by Ms Caroline Walker-Strong, chief operations officer of the IASW. Social workers witness first-hand the critical role that parents and carers play in ensuring children and young people with disabilities can access their constitutional right to education. Positioned on the front lines in homes, communities, respite, residential services and schools, we are uniquely placed to support families, and to recognise and advocate for the services they need.

Social workers play a vital role in helping families navigate complex systems across health, education and social care. We provide a clinical assessment of family needs. We support families to understand their rights, accessing services and advocating for their needs. Through a consent-led, strengths-based, collaborative approach, we provide support across all stages of care - prevention, intervention and outcome management. Social workers recognise there is a family behind the child.

We want to highlight the significant challenges faced by families caring for children with complex disabilities. There are hundreds of children with disabilities who do not have access to full-time school placements. These children are often excluded due to behavioural, sensory or medical needs that schools are unable to accommodate. We are aware of increased numbers of children with disabilities who have been expelled due to the complexity of their needs, including children who have been suspended and expelled from special schools. When this happens, families and carers are left to manage alone without adequate support from either the education support services or health system. There is no integrated system to wrap around the child and the family.

Families report feeling isolated and overwhelmed and are unsure of where to turn. The lack of co-ordination between education and health services means that when a child is out of school, there is no automatic pathway for clinical support, respite or structured alternatives. Parents are left to manage complex behavioural, sensory and medical needs without guidance or relief. In these situations, the children are often seen as the problem, not the system. While progress has been made, including an increase in SNA supports, special schools and special classes, significant challenges remain. When a child is excluded from school, whether formally or through reduced timetables, the impact extends far beyond the classroom. Parents become full-time caregivers, educators and advocates. Often, parents have a number of children with additional needs who require support. Many parents are forced to leave employment, reduce working hours or rearrange their entire lives to meet their child’s needs. In many families, siblings often take on caregiving roles, becoming young carers, which can affect their own well-being and development. These situations can result in long-term consequences for financial stability, mental health and family cohesion, the risk of which cannot be underestimated and has had detrimental consequences and impact on the child and the child's family and siblings.

Home tuition is often presented as a solution for children out of school, but for children with complex needs, it is rarely viable. Many children require structured environments, therapeutic input and peer interaction, none of which can be replicated in a home setting. Parents report lengthy delays in accessing home tuition, inconsistent provision and tutors who are not trained to manage complex behaviours. This is not in keeping with Article 24.

While mainstream guidelines for transport suggest a maximum travel time, no such standard exists for children with disabilities. Some travel over an hour each way to attend their existing school, while others are forced to change schools or face delays in securing any school placement at all. We are aware of cases where children are required to travel long distances, for example, Athlone to Dublin, to maintain a school placement, which is over 250 km a day. These disruptions are especially difficult for children who rely on routine, familiar environments and consistent support.

The deadline to apply for a special school class or special school place was brought forward this year from February to October. The advancement of the submission deadline to 1 October for notifying the NCSE about the need for special classes or school places put additional pressure on the relevant services to complete assessments on time. It has also increased stress and confusion for parents, caregivers and educators. Additionally, they must engage in emotionally difficult conversations without adequate time to process often unexpected and overwhelming diagnoses. Notably, this deadline applies only to children with disabilities.