Parents health demands backed by report

PARENTS protesting for three months the care arrangements for their mentally handicapped children have seen their demands for change backed by an independent report.

The report, commissioned by management at St Vincent’s Centre, Navan Road, Dublin, agreed with parents the children’s health needs should have priority over their education needs.

It also recommended that Education Minister Noel Dempsey and Health Minister Micheál Martin immediately appoint an external team of experts to assess each child and prepare an individual needs plan. The 32 children attending the Development Education Centre (DEC) are profoundly mentally handicapped; more than half are in wheelchairs; 87% use nappies and 91% cannot speak.

The parents, led by spokesman Shay Feehily, welcomed the report by industrial relations expert Phil Flynn, and said they would push for its immediate implementation.

“Reports have a habit of gathering dust and Phil Flynn has no power to implement it, so we are calling for him to be allowed remain within the process.”

Mr Flynn was appointed by management of the Daughters of Charity facility when parents refused to back down in their demands for a health care-focused service for their children, rather than the Department of Education-driven service on offer.

Last summer, all but one part-time nurse at the DEC resigned, claiming they were unable to carry out their duties because of “a rigid, education-dominated model of service delivery”. The DEC had at one time been staffed predominantly by nurses, but in recent times, that gave way to six teachers, 14 classroom assistants and just one nurse. Parents have been fighting for a restoration of nursing staff and this report agrees that the skills mix is wrong, that the children’s primary care needs are health-related.

The report recommends that a service model designed to meet the children’s needs be put in place, reflecting the parents’ wishes and that the resources be made available to achieve this. It also recommends the service year be brought into line with the calendar year, instead of the school year.