Lack of school place for autistic boy 'stressful'

Christopher Flanagan-Kane says his autistic son Aodhan does not yet have a school place for September

"Kids with special needs are among the most vulnerable in our society and they're getting treated like second-class citizens."

That is according to Christopher Flanagan-Kane from north Belfast, whose 11-year-old son is autistic and is still waiting for a post-primary school place for September.

In a statement, the Education Authority (EA) told BBC News NI they had been in contact with Aodhan's family "to provide an update on the placement process and the next steps."

"We fully understand that this is an anxious time for the family," the statement said.

But the EA did not provide an answer when asked by BBC News NI about how many children with special educational needs (SEN) were still waiting to have their school place confirmed.

Most children moving from primary to post-primary had their school place confirmed in mid-May.

But the Department of Education (DE) has previously said that there is a big rise in the number of children with special educational needs who require a school place this year.

SEN school place wait having 'big impact'

Mr Flanagan-Kane said the wait for a confirmed place was having a "big impact" on Aodhan's mental health.

Aodhan is currently in a special education unit in a mainstream primary but in school for a reduced number of hours.

"The school is absolutely amazing, the teachers are amazing but it just hasn't really worked for Aodhan," Mr Flanagan-Kane said.

"This past year has been very challenging for him.

"He first got diagnosed when he was about four with autism and then he was about six when he got diagnosed with ADHD."

Mr Flanagan-Kane said that they now wanted to make sure Aodhan got the right place in September.

"We had put in for a special education school for Aodhan that mainly dealt with behavioural, social and emotional needs - more nurturing rather than educational needs.

"It seemed a good match for Aodhan - we went and visited the school."

But in May the family was informed by the EA that Aodhan had not been placed.

"Aodhan doesn't really fit the criteria for a lot of special education schools because he doesn't really have any learning difficulties as such," according to Mr Flanagan-Kane.

The school his parents had hoped Aodhan could go to has limited places.

That has meant a "really, really stressful" situation for the family.

"He's asking me on a daily basis, a couple of times a day, have they got a school for him yet," said Mr Flanagan-Kane.

"Aodhan has two full weeks of school left, and then he has no school to go to come September still."

'This happens every year'

He said this had left him feeling "very, very frustrated over it all."

"I've feared this time coming up when he was transitioning to secondary school because I've read so many horror stories," he said.

"This isn't a new thing. This happens every single year."

"They just don't have enough schools to provide for special education."

In 2023, hundreds of children with SEN started the summer holiday without knowing which school they would be going to when the new school year began.

Senior officials at the EA have also warned that "it is going to be difficult and challenging to place all children" with SEN in summer 2024.

In April, Education Minister Paul Givan announced plans for new special schools

The Education Minister, Paul Givan, has said up to eight new special schools will be built over the next decade, including four in Belfast.

But that is a long-term strategy which will not address immediate pressure on places.

Talks with schools continuing

In its statement to BBC News NI, the EA said that parents and carers "have been advised that meetings with schools to discuss consultations are taking place across the month of June".

"All families will be informed once their child's place has been finalised, based on their individual needs," the statement continued.

"Ensuring all children with a statement of SEN receive the right support, from the right people, at the right time, in the right place is a critical priority for the EA and we remain committed to keeping all families informed."

They also said that parents and carers could contact a SEN helpline on 028 9598 5960 which is open from Monday to Friday from 09:00 .

Further information, it said, is available on the EA website.