'Trying' is not good enough when it comes to children's lives

A child missed an entire year of school, but somehow that wasn't a breach of his right to an education. How can this be? asks Rebecca O'Riordan

Children denied access to education do not exist in some suspended animation until the State finds the time to meet their needs, someone still has to provide full-time care. Picture: iStock

Earlier this month, the High Court determined a failure to provide the transport a child needed to attend a school appropriate to his educational needs, did not amount to a breach of his constitutional and statutory rights. 

The child in question had been able to access the transport required to attend school 13 days in the school year, with 10 of those being for July tutoring.