Cherish Education of all Ireland’s children

By Evan Treacy

In homes around Ireland, there is an uneasy feeling among parents as their children are starting to prepare to go into secondary school in September 2021. In some households more than others the needs of some of these children are not being met.  

As there is an ongoing pandemic, it is understandable that the government and health system is under severe pressure but there should be no circumstances that would see children with additional needs go misdiagnosed or unassessed. They are currently waiting on waiting lists for autism assessments and will continue to wait for many more years to come. These families are being left with no other option but to borrow money to have their children assessed. And while they spent huge amounts of money to make sure their children get these assessments; they are faced with being put on lists that’s are months long. All the while, their child suffers. 

For children of families who do not have the means to borrow money, they face a different struggle. They have to face sitting on a list for years and in hopes that their child will manage to keep their head above water when they reach secondary school. 

 This is unacceptable as these children have to make the change into a new environment when they go into second level education. As a result of the lack of testing, children cannot be put into specialized classes as they have not yet been diagnosed. The effects of this on kids will be significant as they are expected to go into a new environment that they are already going to be uncomfortable with.  

The Government are responsible for this appalling mistreatment of these children and it should not be stood for. The children have been let down and it should not go unknown. The Government are not paying attention or giving funding to the matters that are needed and that has to change