Pre-Budget 2025 submission

Release date: 24th July 2024 

Inclusion Ireland calls for government to stand up for children in Budget 2025

74% of parents think schools should be completely reformed with “substantial investment”. Following a survey of their community, Inclusion Ireland’s CEO Derval McDonagh said: “Investing in an inclusive education strategic plan now will mean that we can move away from reactive, short-term decision making and plan for a more inclusive society.” 

Only 6% of parents believe that schools are given every resource they need to support their child. While almost 90% of parents said their child has a school place this coming September, 29% said that the place is not suitable for their child. Many children are still travelling long distances to school away from their communities. 76% of parents said that the voice of their child isn’t heard or is only sometimes heard at school. 77% said that last years Budget announcement made no difference to the barriers experienced by some children in school.  

“The results are stark and paint a picture of children struggling in our schools to get the support they need, with families fighting to get access to what should be basic rights for their child. We know that T.D.s and Senators hear these stories every day too – it is beyond time to address those real concerns meaningfully.” 

Inclusion Ireland’s survey was conducted with 859 people with an intellectual disability and supporters of children and adults with an intellectual disability. Earlier this month the Ombudsman for Children shared with the Oireachtas Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth that “education was again the most complained about issue in 2023, with 40% of complaints relating to education”. 

Call for Inclusive Education Strategic Plan

Inclusion Ireland called for political leaders to stand up for children with a specific budget to develop a six-year inclusive education strategic plan. This should be Government led, with cross Government support, and with the voices of disabled children, disabled persons organisations and advocacy organisations at the centre. Inclusion Ireland believes the inclusive education strategic plan should focus on committing to: 

• Building a vision for a model of education where all children get the support they need to thrive and flourish in school. 

• Rights and relationship-based training for teachers at undergraduate and postgraduate level, and for experienced teachers. 

• Developing a model for disaggregated data on the experience of disabled children in school – currently there is no data available on outcomes for children. 

• Better planning for school places. 

• Reducing class sizes in line with the EU average. 

• Increasing Special Needs Assistant’s and Special Education Teachers. 

• Significantly investing in the further roll out of the National Council for Special Education in-school pilot of therapeutic supports for disabled children (School Inclusion Model). 

• Investing in more inclusive, accessible school buildings and spaces.  

• Developing CAMHS – intellectual disability teams to support children’s mental health and well-being before crisis point. 

• Reviewing the current model of education for disabled children and making recommendations for future development. 

• Realising the vision in the NCSE  Policy Advice Paper An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society, published in 2024. 

 

McDonagh added: “We need to make Budget 2025 an inclusive education budget because children all over Ireland are experiencing the greatest injustice of our time right now in Ireland, and they are not listened to. Ultimately, we all want our children to leave school feeling good about themselves, confident, unique, and ready to achieve their dreams and potential. An inclusive education will give them that chance, but only if the right resources in the right places are allocated and a whole of Government, collaborative approach is taken. This approach must involve children as the most important stakeholder. 

“We fully believe that inclusive communities have their roots in inclusive education and our efforts as a society have got to start there. We have to work towards a system in which all children get to go to their local school with their siblings and peers, with the support they need to thrive and flourish. Investing in inclusion in the early years is not just the right thing for Government to do but can also help alleviate some of the barriers people with an intellectual disability tell us they face later on in life; low employment rates, living in poverty, limited independent living options.” 

Education System Failing Children with Intellectual Disability

Earlier this year, almost 500 parents told Inclusion Ireland about issues in the educational system. They reported that 45% of children with support needs are being failed. These children face a lack of appropriate supports at school. They also deal with a reduced timetable, emotionally based school avoidance, or other distressing experiences. Some do not attend school at all.

In February, over 400 parents told Inclusion Ireland and AsIAm about seclusion and restraint. They said that 35% of their disabled children experience seclusion. Additionally, 27% suffer restraint at school.

In April, 210 parents told Inclusion Ireland about difficulties with school rules. 68% of the parents said their disabled child finds it difficult to follow school rules. Despite this, schools have punished 56% of these children for not following a rule. Parents reported that school rules cause anxiety-based school avoidance, stress, and frustration. Other issues include dysregulation, overwhelm, panic, and withdrawal. They also mentioned burn-out, confusion, “depleting confidence,” and low self-esteem in their children.

ENDS 

Link to Inclusion Ireland Pre-Budget 2025 Submission Document

Make children with intellectual disabilities matter – Pre-Budget 2025 Submission (inclusionireland.ie)

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