Some children may be excluded from Transition Year as their families cannot afford it 

Transition year can be a life-changing time for many students in Ireland but there is growing concern at the way TY places are allocated. iStock

Children are being excluded, or cannot fully participate in Transition Year (TY), simply because their families cannot afford it, the children’s watchdog has warned.

Some schools also appear to be failing young people by not having fair application processes in place when it comes to accessing TY.

It follows a report by the Office of the Children’s Ombudsman (OCO) which found that some schools’ TY access policies lack transparency, may be considered potentially discriminatory, and are oftentimes seen as inaccessible.

The report was initiated by the OCO after it received complaints from young people who have been refused a place in their school’s TY programme, due to behaviour, mental health, or disability.

Nuala Ward, Director of Investigations for the Ombudsman for Children's Office in Ireland. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA

Parents who spoke to the OCO also highlighted a lack of transparency when it comes to how TY places are allocated.

There is no doubt that TY can be a life-changing time for many students in Ireland, according to Nuala Ward, director of investigations at the OCO.

“It is therefore concerning that some schools appear to be failing many young people by not having fair and transparent application and appeals processes in place,” she said.

Indeed, some schools could, potentially, be considered discriminatory as there is a failure by some schools to provide reasonable accommodations for children with disabilities or mental health difficulties in schools where there is a competitive process to access TY. 

The report highlights the experience of a young person whose absences from school due to bullying went against him when it came to getting a TY place.

It also includes the experiences of a young person with Down syndrome who failed to secure a TY place after being interviewed by five adults with no reasonable accommodations in place.

“The cost of TY is also of concern,” Ms Ward said.

There is a significant disparity in the cost of TY between schools and in some cases children are excluded, or cannot fully participate, simply because their families cannot afford it. 

"This is unacceptable.

“In our view, it is a significant decision by a school to exclude a child from entry to this hugely advantageous year and therefore any decision-making process requires the highest level of transparency and fairness. 

"The OCO raised these concerns with the Department of Education who told us that they were aware of a small number of problems with accessing TY but are only now beginning to gather data about barriers to participation."