Parents 'facing uncertainty' as SEN children left without school places

Parents of children at a special educational needs (SEN) school have described being told there are no school places available for their children next year as "devastating".

Amy Gibney said she is one of eight parents told on Thursday that SEN schools across Belfast are either full or unable to meet their children's needs.

The children are due to leave Oakwood School and Assessment Centre, which teaches pupils up to P4, but have not been allocated a place at another school from September.

The Education Authority (EA) said demand for SEN places continues to outstrip capacity, meaning families' preferred schools cannot always be accommodated.

Oakwood, like several other mainstream schools in the area, only provides education for children up to P4, meaning pupils must move to another school for the reminder of their primary and secondary school education.

Gibney told BBC News NI she "wouldn't wish this uncertainty" on anybody.

Parents said a number of pupils, who are due to finish at the school in September, have been told there is no school place for their children.

Gibney's son, Levi, is autistic and non-verbal with a severe learning disability.

Which school he will attend in September remains unclear.

"Eight different sets of parents and kids are in this situation," she claimed.

"It seems to be a problem every year, these schools know that this is a problem, so why are our children's places not prioritised sooner. It's just going to continue happening.

She said some parents received a letter that said there was no place for their child, but that "there might be alternative arrangements".

"We don't even know what those arrangements are," she said.

"Is that home schooling? Is that waiting for a place to come? Could that be months? Is it residential respite?

"They need somewhere that will be a nurturing environment for them," she continued.

"I wouldn't wish this on anybody, it's crazy.

"Our children thrive on routine, they need stability."

Nick Mathison is the chair of Stormont's education committee.

The Alliance MLA described the situation as "absolutely devastating" for parents impacted.

"We wouldn't expect any other child finishing P4 in our education system to have nowhere to go," he said.

He added that there has been a "complete failure" by the EA to plan for the next steps of the education journey and "parents rightly feel let down".

He said that while the pressure on the EA has become more "pronounced" in recent years, this issue should have been dealt with sooner.

"This is not a new issue, it has been coming down the track for a number of years.

"If a child commences their educational journey in a special school, which we know ends at P4, the planning should be starting then."

Gibney said she has experienced uncertainty with Levi's schooling before.

When he was leaving nursery, she said they had waited the entire summer to find out if her son would get in.

"I have been that parent who has sat not knowing if their child is even starting nursery in September. That's why I can't do this again," she added.

"It's the anxiety of it all is the worry".

Gibney said the EA advised her to "phone weekly" to await updates on their progress.

"It's very frustrating", she said.

She said she was told on Thursday that there would be a possible EA update at the end of the month.

Sarah Duncan's eight-year-old son Aodhán is also without a place.

He has autism, ADHD, severe learning disability and is non-verbal.

She said she has been given three other options for her son's schooling, but said they do not "meet the complexity" of his needs and "have capacity issues".

"It's a devastating impact. Physically, mentally. It's been devastating as a family," Duncan said.

She added "absolutely everything" is a fight, and that "it takes every single thing in my being to fight for Aodhán, it's just so disheartening no matter what you do, you're not getting any further".

Duncan described her son as "a complex child" who "needs to be in an environment to cope with those things".

"As far as I'm aware, there is no other facility that would be suitable other than a special school," she said.

"In school he uses intense occupational therapy, speech and language, physiotherapy.

"This isn't just to do with his learning, it's eating, toileting, taking care of him."

In a statement, the EA said they are "actively working to secure placements for all Primary 4 transfer pupils, in consultation with parents and the identified needs of each child, keeping families informed as placements are confirmed".

It added that capacity pressures are a "matter of serious concern".

"The Education Minister is seeking to address this through a SEN capital investment programme that has been submitted to the Executive."