System is ‘broken’ for children with special needs
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During her visit to the Happy Days Childcare facility in Belturbet, the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, met a young man with a Kerry jersey and, being a good Kerry woman, she was delighted to pose for a picture; and Senator Robbie Gallagher, being a Donegal man, was also happy to join in the fun after Sunday’s match. Also in the picture were Senator Joe O’Reilly (FG), Minister Niamh Smyth (FF), Deputy Brendan Smith (FF), Cllr John Paul Feeley (FF), Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council and Joy Johnston, Service Manager with the HappyDays Childcare Facility in Belturbet.8PHOTO: Sean McMahonImage 2 of 3
At Teach na nDaoine when Norma Foley TD Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, visited the centre were (from left) Deputy Cathy Bennett (SF), Sean Blackwell, Tusla; Cllr Raymond Aughey (FF); Senator Robbie Gallagher (FF); Norma Foley, Minister for Children, Disability and Equality; Packie Kelly, Teach na nDaoine FRC and Michael O’Hare, chairman, Teach na nDaoine FRC. 8Photo: Rory Geary ©Rory GearyImage 3 of 3
RIGHT:Cathal Smith welcomes Minister Norma Foley to Drumlin House Cootehill on Tuesday. PHOTO: ALEX COLEMAN Alex Coleman.“The assessment of need system is not working, I would go as far as to say it’s broken.”
Those were the words of Minister for Children and Disability Norma Foley, who visited Cavan and Monaghan yesterday (Tuesday).
Figures obtained by Deputy Matt Carthy last month shows there were over 500 children waiting beyond the six-month legal timeframe for an Assessment of Need (AON) in the two counties. “It’s not serving the families and it’s not serving the children,” Minister Foley accepted, speaking on the AON process.
Nationally, the number of applications over the completion date was over 20,200 by the end of last year. What is the department doing to ensure these children are seen? The Minister said “a lot of work” is going on in this space.
Working with the HSE, she said they are introducing an autism pathway “in the coming months”, which will be “distinct” from the AON process.
“We have found that the vast majority of cases and young people who go through the process are diagnosed with autism.”
Minister Foley believes the change in the system will be a “very positive step forward”.
Meanwhile, she explained that “for those who actually get to go through the [AON] process”, almost a third are told “they don’t have a disability”.
“But they do have a need and I think that is the issue for parents, they want the focus to be on the need as early as possible,” she added.
Minister Foley said there is a requirement to “change that scenario” so children can get access to supports “from the earliest point” and to not go through the “long and convoluted” AON process.
She also told the Celt she is working with the Department of Education so that an AON will “not be required” for a child to access a special class or school. They are “hopeful” that this would be in place by September 2027.
“We want to move from that type of system, where the focus from the very beginning to the end is on the child.”
Minister Foley said government is introducing legislation to make the process “more efficient”, “effective” and “impactful”.
‘One single door’
Meanwhile, the HSE is developing a “one single door” system, which means that “once a child comes forward” they will be “adjudicated” as to where they should go.
“Rather than a child being on a multiplicity of different waiting lists, from the very beginning it will the responsibility of the agency to direct them in the right place,” outlined the Minister of the vision.
Finally, Minister Foley said they are introducing therapies into schools for the “first time”, beginning with special schools, then special classes and “ultimately” they hope to see it go “even further”.
“That will mean there will be therapies available in the school system.”
The Minister said this is “already beginning”.