State is failing Children with Additional Educational Needs
State is failing Children with Additional Educational Needs - The Labour Party
Labour’s Education Spokesperson Eoghan Kenny TD has called on Government to stop breaking the law and uphold the rights of children with additional educational needs, as figures show the number of children waiting for an Assessment of Need could exceed 25,000 by the end of this year. Speaking today, Deputy Kenny said the current situation is denying thousands of children their legal right to an equal education and causing long-term damage to their development. Labour is calling for an urgent national response to tackle waiting lists, provide assessments, and guarantee proper school places and supports.
Deputy Kenny said:
“When it comes to additional educational needs, a large cohort of students across the country do not have the same access to education as their friends, family members or classmates. This is a breach of their rights – and of the Government’s own legal obligations.
“Families are being left to fend for themselves, forced to wait months on end for diagnoses, then even longer for assessments. These are children who need assistive technologies, tailored teaching support and a school environment that fits their needs – and instead they’re left in limbo.
“These delays have serious consequences. A child without the right diagnosis or assessment is left without the proper support. That means falling behind in school, struggling in unsuitable classrooms, and missing out on key years of their education. The damage doesn’t end there – these setbacks have knock-on effects on a child’s confidence, their development and their ability to succeed in later life.
“We are hearing of children spending years in mainstream settings without the tools they need to learn. This Government is failing these children. It is failing their parents. It is failing to uphold the law.
“The figures are spiralling – if more than 25,000 children are on the list by the end of this year, how can the State possibly plan for the number of school places, teachers, and technologies needed? Without timely assessment, there is no way to ensure children get the right start.
“Children are being denied their rights. Their education and social progress are being cast aside. How many more parents have to sleep out outside the Dáil before Government takes radical action?
“I am urging the Minister for Education and the Minister for Health to act now. End these delays. Clear the waiting lists. Give every child the education they are entitled to – no matter what their needs.”