Ms Áine Lynch:

In response to the comments made about how the NCSE brings people along with them, I do not think there is any "bringing along" for parents, because parents obviously want the right thing for their child. The difficulty we have with the system at the moment is that if a child has been identified with any need from birth onwards, it becomes a fight for that child. His or her family are fighting for resources all the time. Sometimes people fight when they do not need to fight, because they are just locked into the fight, but when people have fought for a resource and have got it, they will not let it go until another resource is in place. It might not be the right resource and parents might think it is not the right resource for their child, but until another more appropriate resource is offered it is very hard to let go of the resource that they have. That can often be misunderstood, and parents are seen as marching on the gates for their SNA provision or resource teaching hours. When we talk to the individual parents they say they know their child does not need a particular resource but does need another resource, such as a speech and language therapist, but they might be on a waiting list for a speech and language therapist for four years, so what do they do? The overall message that can come across as fighting against change is not actually the underlying message, but it is just that they hang on to the resource that they have until the get the right resource. It would be a very easy door to push open with parents. I do not think there is resistance to it.