Cork special school suspends another student amid concerns over high suspension rate

Kayla Henebry in 2022.

A Cork special school, highlighted last month for its exceptionally high suspension rate, suspended a student again last week.

Kayla Henebry, 16, was suspended from Carrigaline Community Special School less than a month after the Irish Examiner highlighted the concerns of parents at the school around a pattern of suspensions.

The school, in Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s constituency, is for students aged 4-18 who have a diagnosis of autism and an intellectual disability.

It is not Kayla’s first time being suspended from the school, which is under the patronage of Cork ETB.

Kayla has limited communication skills, her mother Aisling Henebry told the Irish Examiner.

"You could nearly say Kayla is non-verbal. She has autism and an intellectual disability. Suspension to her means nothing. All it is doing is causing stress and hurt and upset to our family." 

Kayla can get agitated and anxious, particularly when routine is not followed. She has had three different teachers so far this term.

“She can get very upset then, which can lead to challenging behaviours. Challenging behaviours with Kayla could be hitting someone, pulling at their face, she might pull at your face to make you smile.

She could lash out, hit you, she could become very upset in herself, or start crying or verbally stimming.

A special report by the Irish Examiner highlighted the concerns of parents at the school after it issued 17 official suspensions in three years.

Following the report, Mr Martin said suspensions were not “the ideal way to deal with behavioural issues or issues within a special needs context". 

Kayla Henebry with her mum Aisling Henebry in 2021.

An email from the school described Kayla's suspension last week as an immediate suspension "due to the risk to the health and safety of Kayla and other pupils or staff".

In a statement, Cork ETB said it did not comment on individual students. The use of suspension as a punitive measure was not the practice in Cork ETB Special Schools, it said.

“Cork ETB has a duty of care to ensure the safety of all students and staff and ensure a learning environment in which all students can access their education."

In certain extreme circumstances, the removal of a student from the class or from the school for a short period had been necessary, it added.

This is in cases where measures to de-escalate have not been successful, and “where behaviours present a risk to the safety and wellbeing of the student and other students and staff, and to the learning environment”.

It added the current overall level of therapy services provided to students in its four special schools is "not at a satisfactory level", but it was working with the Department of Education to improve the level provided. 

A spokeswoman for the Department of Education said it could not comment on individual cases.

"The department has actively engaged with parents and Carrigaline Community Special School to address concerns raised. [Special education minister Michael] Moynihan, along with department officials, has met with parent groups and the school in question to support resolution efforts."