Louth Principal says separating pupils with ASD from mainstream classes must end

A national school principal believes all children with additional educational needs should have the equal right to be integrated in mainstream classes and not directed to ASD classes.

Anne Marie Ford is urging parents to have their say on a national review of a 2004 Act on inclusiveness for children under 18, which is currently underway by the Department of Education.

The Epsen (Education for Persons with Special Education Needs) Act review is to ensure that legislation on education for students with additional needs is up-to-date, fully operational and reflective of the lived experiences of students and families.

Principal of Scoil Naomh Colmcille in Togher, Co Louth, Anne Marie is passionate about integrating children with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) as soon as possible into mainstream education to allow them to become independent and realise their own potential.

A meeting will be held on the review in the Monasterboice Inn next Wednesday, (Jan 11) at 7.30pm and all parents are invited to attend.  

She believes that ASD classes are beneficial for some but best international practice is the model of total integration where possible - and says teachers should have adequate training, sufficient resources and suitable class sizes to facilitate this.

The school has 15 children with additional educational needs in mainstream classes and teaches 24 children who have a diagnosis of ASD, from all over Louth and Meath in four early intervention classes.

She believes that the Act needs to be amended to ensure all children are taught together with the additional resources they need.

"This is an excellent Act but through no-one's fault, I feel hasn't been fully implemented," she said. "All these new ASD classes are being opened with SNAs in schools now but there is very little training being given to staff on neuro diverse conditions. 

“These children are being placed in beautifully modern and fully equipped classes but they are segregated from the mainstream classes. If you segregate these children for 14 years, how are they expected to integrate into society when they've been shielded from it all their lives?

“When they reach adulthood, they are left facing further cliff-edges with no supports and very little resources after that. There is an exponential growth in children with additional educational needs and if you seclude them now from life, then you are setting them up for a fall.

"We have to teach all inclusiveness. What is the point of having an ASD class with 12 children? They should be integrated into smaller mainstream classes where there are extra resources given and training to teachers and SNAs on recognising and avoiding trigger points for these children through timely movement breaks.

"The act as it stands is excellent but we need more. The review needs to include all and give all children an equal right to education together."