Anger in Carrick-on-Suir over refusal of school's application to set up class for kids with autism

Pictured above are: Carrick-on-Suir ASD Unit campaigners from left: Danielle Cleary and her son Mayson Ryan, Fiona Russell and her daughter Ava Jaupaj, older sister to Ella who has autism; Laura Waters with her daughter Grace Walsh, Taylor Franey with her daughter Georgia Dowley, early years educator Breda Tobin with her son Sean and daughters Aoife and Julie.

The National Council for Special Education’s decision to turn down a Carrick-on-Suir primary school’s application to set up an Autism Spectrum Disorder class in September has “devastated” local families trying to secure a school place for their children.
The Carrick-on-Suir Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Unit Campaign Group has expressed deep disappointment and shock at the NCSE’s decision and has called on the council to reverse it.
The campaign group was set up last September by parents in Carrick-on-Suir worried and frustrated at the difficulties they are facing sourcing primary school places for their children, who have been diagnosed with autism.
There is currently no ASD Unit for primary school children with autism in Carrick-on-Suir.
These children must travel miles away from their town to attend school. They find it difficult to secure places at ASD units in other communities because they are not from the school’s direct catchment area.
Breda Tobin, one of the group’s founders, said Gaelscoil Charraig na Siúire expressed interest in setting up an ASD Unit and applied to the NCSE for approval.
While this approval was being awaited, local parents of children with autism due to start primary school in September applied for a place at the school to show there was a local demand for the unit.
She said the Gaelscoil awaited a reply to their application for five months and was informed last Thursday that the application hadn’t been approved for the new academic year in September. The school notified parents of the NCSE’s decision last Friday.
Breda, who is an early years educator, said the NCSE informed the school that “current demand appears to be met from the current established classes in the surrounding areas”.
Breda says parents in the campaign group with children due to start school in September are “devastated” at the news.
Some are facing the prospect of having to secure home tuition for their child or enrol them in a main stream primary school class unsuited to their needs, if a place in an ASD unit isn’t found for them by September.
“We have shown the need for the school places for next year and now they (the NCSE) are saying there are places available in the surrounding area. Where are they? They can’t be found.”
She pointed out that parents also applied to ASD classes at schools within a 30-mile radius of Carrick-on-Suir since September last year and have letters from these schools stating they cannot accommodate their child.
She said the absence of an ASD class for primary school children in a town of Carrick-on-Suir’s size is “shocking” when you see schools in smaller communities securing them.
She said new ASD Units have been approved at primary schools in Portlaw in county Waterford, and Carrigeen in south Kilkenny and their places are already full.
Breda also noted that one of Carrick-on-Suir’s secondary schools has an ASD Unit, which is also full to capacity.
“We want answers as to why we cannot have an ASD class,” she continued.
“We have shown the need for the service. We have jumped through every hoop put in front of us. We have children needing the support, unable to access the service in the already established ASD classes.
“We have a school willing to open an ASD class, which has experienced teachers, and they have four children with a requirement for a place in an ASD class. Yet we are being refused.”
One of the big difficulties Carrick-on-Suir parents of children with autism have faced in their efforts to secure an ASD unit in their hometown is that the Special Education Needs Officer (SENO) post for South Tipperary has been vacant for months. This officer’s work includes identifying if there is a demand for an ASD unit in an area and liaising with parents and schools to get one established.
Breda said Special Education Needs Officers the campaign group’s members are dealing with at the moment are based in Cork and Laois.
The Nationalist contacted the Department of Education for comment but hadn’t received a response at the time of going to press.