Disabled children’s groups denied say in allocation of teachers

Bodies representing children with disabilities have been left out of a working group devising changes to how resource teachers are allocated for them to schools.

The issue affects pupils with autism and disabilities, including Down’s Syndrome, hearing and visual impairment, physical disabilities, and emotional and behavioural difficulties, but advocacy groups will have just one meeting with the working group.

It was set up by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) after it highlighted difficulties with the allocation system to Education Minister Ruairi Quinn in May. In June, he reversed planned cuts to resource teaching time for children with more severe special educational needs.