Parents take special needs fight to court

THE DEPARTMENT of Education and Science is being hauled into the dock by 80 parents of special needs children.

While some have been granted limited help, others have been denied any access to the specialist resources they need a place in a special school or the necessary assistance to allow them mix with others in mainstream education.

The department received 5,500 new requests for special needs help for children in schools nationwide over the past six months, putting a severe strain on its resources, its officials say.