'Catch-all' special schools will leave some children with nowhere to go

Principals of special schools said children with complex needs deserve the support they need. Picture: Ben Birchall

The creation of “catch-all” special schools would leave some children with “nowhere to go” and take away the one place they feel “supported, understood and safe”, an oireachtas committee has heard.

The education committee invited in principals of special schools on Thursday, who say they face pressure from the Department of Education to change their schools’ designation to include children with “complex needs”.