Dublin South West TD, Seán Crowe, has criticised the Government for breaking their Programme for Government commitment to develop a new in-school speech and language therapy model.

The Sinn Féin TD believes the delay in delivering supports to children with impairments may explain part of the reluctance of some schools to admit children with complex needs.

Crowe described the promise of a faster turnaround, quicker assessments, and access to supports and services as the figment of some Minister’s spin doctor’s imagination.

Teachta Seán Crowe said:

“There is a clear commitment under the Programme for Government that a new in-school speech and language therapy model would be delivered.

“This is something that has been floated for years, yet progress has been painfully slow, and its vulnerable children who are missing out on these vital supports.

“The Action Plan for Education 2017 merely sets a target to consider the findings of the HSE review on speech and language therapy, suggesting that it will be years before the in-school model will be established in our schools.

“321 schools have no NEPS psychologist available, supposedly due to staffing vacancies, while a further 223 schools do not have access to NEPS psychologist because of temporary leave arrangements. This is not acceptable on any level and vulnerable children are clearly the victims of these gaps in services.

“Schools that currently do not have an assigned psychologist are severely disadvantaged in terms of delays to assessments for special education needs or behavioural difficulties in their pupils.

“It is extremely frustrating for a parent to know that their child has problems and special needs in school, only then to be told that there is a long waiting list before they can even be considered for supports.

“The current system puts a lot of emphasis on gaining a diagnosis in order to access supports, but even if the child does not meet any specific diagnosis, a good assessment can provide a clear outline of his or her strengths and weaknesses.

“Figures released from the HSE show that almost 350 children are waiting over 1 year for an initial assessment for speech and language therapy while over 1100 children are waiting over a year for initial therapy. That’s just not good enough.”

Crowe continued:

“Many parents in the Dublin South West area are extremely frustrated at these long delays and claim that a priority waiting list they are supposedly on doesn’t go anywhere.  One parent from Tallaght whose child has Autism informed me that their child’s file is supposedly lying in a drawer awaiting the appointment of a liaison officer whose position still lies vacant after 10 months.

“Another parent, whose children are partially deaf and waiting to see a consultant after being diagnosed in May last year, has been told it could take up to two years.

“The promise of a faster turnaround, quicker assessments and access to supports and services are the figment of some Minister’s spin doctor’s imagination.

“The lack of early intervention and school age therapeutic supports for children with complex needs is holding these children’s development back for years.  The delay in delivering supports to children with impairments may explain in part the reluctance of schools to admit children with complex needs.

“The issue has been raised with the Minister of State with responsibility for Disabilities, Finian McGrath, time after time but has so far he has failed to deliver on the Government’s promise.

“The current system is broken and it is vulnerable children and their families who are being so negatively affected by its failure. A workable system would reflect the needs and rights of the child.  It needs to rights based and not reliant on the financial good will or mood of a Minister or their Government.”

ENDS