Pilot to return therapies to special schools struggles due to recruitment

The HSE South West said it and its lead agency partners are committed to participation in the pilot programme. Picture: iStock

A pilot project designed to be the first phase in returning vital therapies to special schools still hasn't completed recruitment more than six months after it was announced.

At a recent meeting of the regional health forum, the HSE confirmed that not all therapists are in place on the pilot project, which includes six Cork special schools.

Announced last August, the pilot project, provided by the HSE’s Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs), aims to provide occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and behaviour supports on-site in special schools.

Labour councillor for Cork City South-East Peter Horgan had raised the issue with the HSE, calling for the forum to support the urgent introduction of school therapists to all special schools in the Cork/Kerry area.

The HSE has now confirmed that recruitment is complete in two of the six schools, partially completed in a third and is still recruiting for two further schools.

According to the HSE Swouth West, 10% of children with complex disability needs attend special schools. 

All staff working on CDNTs in Cork are section 39 workers, which places them on a lower pay scale than members of the HSE primary care team.

“There’s no question in our mind that the special schools require therapists in place now,” Mr Horgan said.

The fact that we are still at a point where the pilot schools do not have therapists in place is incredibly concerning.

It not only undermines the pilot project but also stands to highlight how we should be closer to reinstating therapies in special schools, he added.

“We should be rolling out therapists to special schools to engage in therapies with children who desperately need it. 

"I reiterated my view that we should be including therapists as HSE primary care staff, not CDNTs, in order to address the recruitment and retention issue there, so that it doesn’t take away from the already overstretched CDNT staff across Cork.”

In written response to Mr Horgan, the HSE South West said it and its lead agency partners are committed to participation in the pilot programme.

“10% of children with complex disability needs attend special schools. The other 90% attend mainstream school or some don’t attend school.

"The children attending special schools may have complex learning needs but not necessarily complex health needs.”

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Support at the six special schools in Cork are being delivered collaboratively by CDNTs and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), it added. 

"Additional occupational therapy and speech and language therapy posts were allocated to our CDNTs to allow them to deliver on-site therapies as required by Government. Behaviour supports are provided by the NCSE. 

“As set out in the 2025 Programme for Government, Government has committed to creating a dedicated National Therapy Service in Education, beginning with special schools. 

The HSE both regionally and nationally is committed to working with colleagues in the Department of Education and Department of Children, Disability and Equality to progress this priority action.”