Parents fight to keep classroom assistant for disabled son

THE parents of a boy with a severe and complex health condition will take their fight to keep his full-time classroom assistant to the Dáil this morning.

John and Rachel Kelleher from Cork will hand in a petition signed last week by more than 2,500 people calling on the Government to reverse its decision to halve the hours of nine-year-old Shane’s special needs assistant (SNA). Shane will also visit the Dáil.

“The decision to cut Shane’s SNA hours was made the same week the Disability Bill passed through the Dáil,” Mr Kelleher said last night. “So what I want to ask the Taoiseach is this: what is this bill going to do for my son? Children may not have a vote. But the people in the parents’ association and parents in our area do.”

Mr Kelleher said the decision to cut his son’s SNA hours would have a devastating effect on his education and health.

Shane, who is in third class at Scoil Chill Ruadhain in Brooklodge, Glanmire, has CHARGE syndrome. The rare condition affects his heart, eyes, throat, stunts his growth and development, results in urinary abnormalities and can cause behavioural problems.

But Shane’s full-time SNA has helped him make great strides in mainstream education.

His needs were assessed recently as part of a review of 1,000 schools by the Department of Education.

It resulted in 70 SNA posts being lost to schools and the creation of 175 posts in other schools.

However, it was decided that Shane didn’t need a full-time SNA. The hours of two other SNAs at his school are also being cut.

“Without his assistant, Shane will be a disruption to the rest of the class and we know he will fall behind,” Mr Kelleher said.

At night his son is fed high-calorie supplements through a tube in his stomach. “It is essential to his health that his intake is maintained constantly during the day. His SNA monitored this,” Mr Kelleher said. “Shane is on medication to regulate his kidneys so fluid doesn’t build up putting his heart under strain. Without his full-time SNA, who will manage Shane’s extra care and behavioural needs?”

The decision to cut Shane’s SNA hours is being appealed to the National Special Education Council.