'It’s a bittersweet moment' — Twins with autism finally get school places after eight years
Ryan and Kyle Milne from Glasnevin in Dublin received a State apology over failures in the education system to secure a place for them in a school that would cater for their profound needs. Photo courtesy of their family
The parents of twin boys with autism who received no education for eight years said they are “over the moon” because their children finally started school on Monday.
Ryan and Kyle Milne from Glasnevin in Dublin received a State apology over failures in the education system to secure a place for them in a school that would cater for their profound needs.
The 12-year-old boys have been the subject of a high-profile campaign by their parents, after the siblings were promised a school place several times — but the State failed to deliver.
However, the can reveal the twins started a slow transition into Drinan school which is part of St Michaels House in north Dublin on Monday morning.
“We have fought tirelessly for eight years to get the boys an education,” said their father, Darren. “We are over the moon that our boys' first day at school has finally come. It’s a bittersweet moment but we got there in the end.
“The boys will be 13 next March and this is their first proper school.
“Their future and education start today. They went in for 45 minutes and it went very well. We are forever grateful to our home tutor Fiona Redmond who has transitioned into the school with the boys. She is amazing and the boys put all their trust in her."
Mr Milne said there is no specific class for his sons, but that they will be with children in their age group.
“They all learn differently,” he said.
In March, Ryan and Kyle marked their 12th birthday despite a promise by the government that they would be in school in September 2022. In May last year, the former Taoiseach Micheál Martin made a public apology to the Milne family saying it was “not good enough” that their children had not been to school.
Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion Josepha Madigan confirmed places would be found in a suitable special school from September last year. However, that did not materialise.
The twins have been diagnosed with severe autism as well as ADHD, severe learning disabilities and other special needs. During the covid-19 lockdown, Kyle developed obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
The brothers had attended school for a brief spell in 2017, but there was no specialist care for them at the time.
Their mother Gillian Milne told the that it was very important to the family to have their home tutor Fiona with them when they started.
“They don’t know what it is like to be in school, so we have all developed separation anxiety and that is why they are moving very slowly into a school," she said. “We are delighted to finally have them in a classroom, but it came with a battle."
