Special education portal closure leaving Wicklow families stranded

By Hugh O'Farrell Walsh, The Wicklow People

The Department of Education and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) have been criticised for leaving families in County Wicklow stranded and without guidance following the closure of the Families Notify Portal.

Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore raised the issue in the Dáil, after receiving a range of emails from worried parents across the county who missed the October 1 deadline due to unclear instructions and a lack of information from the NCSE.

It was through this portal that parents acquired a letter of eligibility that allowed them to seek a place in a special class or school for their child. Without this letter, children are effectively locked out of special education.

“I was told of a child in Wicklow who is autistic, non-verbal and cannot toilet themselves but was deemed to be not complex enough to warrant a letter of eligibility. That information goes back to the parents and not to the medical professionals. This is something that I am really worried about,” Deputy Whitmore explained.

“Parents need to be informed immediately. If there is a shortfall of places, those places need to be found somewhere. They need to sanction and open new classrooms. It absolutely must be done, and they need to get on top of it now.” she added.

Parents consistently report that they were not told they needed an NCSE letter of eligibility to apply for a special class place, leaving many scrambling at the last minute to get assessments and documentation.

Deputy Whitmore said she has written to the NCSE seeking immediate clarification but has received no response.

“I have asked the council and the minister of state over and over what those parents and children are meant to do. It is not just an issue for Wicklow but across the country. I have been contacted by parents across the country whose children did not get their letters through the portal.”

Deputy Whitmore said that the growing number of parents contacting her office shows the scale of the problem.

“It is not just an issue for Wicklow but across the country. I have been contacted by parents across the country whose children did not get their letters through the portal.”

In response junior minister Emer Higgins acknowledged the information was not readily available.

“Ultimately, what needs to happen is that the NCSE will collate and assess the information which has gone in - it was only in the last number of weeks it has gotten the information – and it will make decisions based on that. I will also ask it to put that information up online.”

“There is inconsistency around this from a nationwide perspective and it is quite important that every child, no matter where he or she lives, gets the same treatment.” she added.

However, Deputy Whitmore believes the situation as it stands is no longer viable.

“It is incredible that two months after the NCSE said that it would update its website to inform parents about the next steps if they did not meet the deadline, the website is still not updated, even though I have raised it by email with the Minister and the NCSE. I have also raised it on the floor of the Dáil. It is completely unacceptable.

“It is so un-child and un-parent centred; it is incredible. I am all for forward planning but please treat people with respect and provide them with the information they need to relieve some of their stress.”

Deputy Whitmore has called on the Department to rectify the situation as quickly as possible.

“When it comes to developing a clear picture of local demand, I absolutely have no problem with the principles behind this process. The reality is that for two months now, the NCSE has had a picture of the exact number of children in an area eligible for a letter of eligibility. It has had that information for eight weeks.

“While all the children in mainstream schools are now being told whether they have a school place and the school they are going to, children with additional or special education needs have no idea because the NCSE still has not provided that information.

“I understand the need for a new process, but the NCSE is absolutely failing to implement this properly in the first year of its existence.” she added.

Deputy Higgins insisted The NCSE is working “to collate, process and map that out to figure out the schools that may have physical capacity to take on additional classrooms and where we might be able to put in additional special schools”.

“There are 132 special classes now in operation, providing capacity for 800 students. That includes 12 special classes for this year. That means the number of classes in County Wicklow has almost doubled in the past five years. The earlier notification system will help us when it comes to continuing to roll out new special schools and new special classes across the country.”

“It was great to see the sod turned for a new building for St. Catherine’s Special School in the Deputy’s constituency earlier this week. These projects are happening around the country.” she added.