A SIX-year-old autistic boy who was finally promised a place at national school has been forced to return to pre-school after a two year search for a place in junior infants.
Little Daniel Colgan’s parents have told how they are “sick” of “empty promises” after a delay in the provision of a modular classroom to hold 12 extra pupils.
Little Daniel Colgan had to return to pre-school again this year[/caption]
Mum Germaine and dad Alan have tried in vain for a place across several schools for their son[/caption]
Germaine and Alan Colgan were relieved and elated when Daniel was enrolled at Danu Special Community School in Dublin’s Blanchardstown, after spending two years searching for a place.
However the six-year-old, who is pre-verbal and has autism with additional needs, had to return to pre-school due to what they believe is an apparent delay in the provision of the classroom.
Germaine said: “Last September, I was anxiously waiting for that phone call which never came, to tell me that a place had been found.
“Before the election, the government promised that every child would have an appropriate school place.
“This now just seems like another empty promise to families with children with additional needs that we are sick of hearing.
“If you don’t send a child to school, Tusla would usually be knocking down the door demanding to know why they are not at school but it’s okay to stay at home or be without an adequate school place if they have a disability.”
Germaine told how both she and Alan were “overjoyed” when Daniel was offered a place at Danu and enrolled last year.
She said: “It was explained to us that they could offer 12 more places at the school as they were told by the Department of Education that a modular classroom would be put in place and we believed this would be within a few months.
“We went to a parent meeting with the school last week so excited in thinking that we were going to get a start date. We thought all our birthdays had come together.
“Instead we were told that nothing is happening. Not a shovel has been put into the ground.
“The school has been brilliant and so supportive but the delay as I understand it is with the Department. I am devastated.”
Germaine told how Daniel, who will be seven in May, needs to be in a proper school place and vowed to continue fighting for her boy.
Education is a basic right and that’s all we want for our son. His basic rights.”
She said: “Instead we had to put him back in an autism specific pre-school who were so good to take him for what I thought would be temporary. He is a forever pre-schooler at the moment.
“I just feel these places were given to the school as a pre-election ploy to shut us up.
“Why is it that modular homes can be built in no time for other reasons but not for our children and if there is no funding, where is the nine million euro coming from for these school pouches?
“Education is a basic right and that’s all we want for our son. His basic rights. But it is a constant battle to get him even that.
“Every year it is the same story. Special needs families have to take to the streets to protest that there isn’t enough adequate places for their children.
“There needs to be a proper plan put in place because we are not going away. We will continue to fight for all our children’s rights.”
NO TIMING UPDATE
Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board said the expansion of special education provision in Danu, which would increase the school’s capacity to 48 students, is a “priority”.
A spokesperson said: “The project is currently in the pre-construction phase. This is a priority project for the Department of Education and DDLETB.
“The NCSE is actively engaging with parents to extend current school placements, while the patron and school staff are preparing to welcome the new students.
“DDLETB remains committed to delivering high-quality, inclusive education while ensuring that every child receives the support they need to thrive both academically and socially.”
The Department of Education said plans for the purpose-built facility are at an “early stage of developed design”, adding that it is “difficult to provide timings” for the delivery of the project due to this.
A spokesperson said: “For the immediate need, the school was granted approval for the provision of a new large two-storey modular under the Department’s Devolved Educational Needs Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme and the project is currently in delivery
“This programme involves the use of Project Management supports which is designed to enable the accommodation to be provided as quickly as possible and help ease the administrative workload for school authorities in relation to the management and delivery of projects.
“The school authority have received their 1st tranche of funding and this project is currently in the pre-construction stage.
“The assigned Project Manager will keep the School Authority updated regularly as the project progresses”.
Daniel has to stay at home while other children his age have started big school[/caption]
