NGOs must ‘listen hard’ to those they represent after crushing defeat of care referendum they backed
Leading voices from the No campaign call for a new approach from advocacy groups that appear out of step with the people they represent
Inclusion Ireland
Almost all parents fear child will lose resources under special education reforms, poll finds
Survey highlights ‘fundamental concerns’ of families, says three disability advocacy organisations
Calls to pause rollout of controversial changes to teaching hours for vulnerable pupils
Campaigners warn that one in three schools will lose support for disabled children while others would gain enhanced hours
‘An animal wouldn’t be treated this way’: 35% of children with disabilities secluded or restrained at school, poll shows
Campaigners call for urgent guidance and regulation for schools in managing pupils’ behaviour
Vulnerable pupils risk ‘losing out’ under changes to allocation of teaching hours for schools
New special education teacher model removes ‘complex needs’ as criteria for allocating resources
More than 500 teachers and SNAs took leave after physical assaults in schools
Maximum leave for assault is three months at full pay but this can be extended in serious cases
‘Archaic’ wards of court system to be abolished and replaced by decision support for people with disabilities
People with intellectual disabilities need lifelong decision-making support, says disability rights group
Disability committee hears of ‘inadequate’ care options
Clear vision needed to ‘stem tide of institutionalisation’ and support people to live ‘life of their choosing’
Inclusio to add 80 jobs following €4.1m seed funding
Tech start-up's software allows companies measure progress on diversity and inclusion in the workplace
Court ruling highlights ‘unacceptable’ waiting lists for children, disability campaigners say
Thousands of vulnerable children waiting years to access to speech and language, occupational therapy and other interventions
Families accuse HSE of wilfully neglecting children with disabilities
Protests to highlight the ‘shambles’ of the reconfigured children’s disability services
Disability provider in funding standoff with HSE
Camphill Communities refuses to sign service agreement until ‘adequate’ funding provided
Omicron wave: Government faces standoff with teaching unions over schools reopening
Unions and school management bodies to meet Minister for Education today
Man (40s) dies while taking part in race event in Galway
Carl Dempsey became ill during cycle section of Gaelforce race on Maamturk mountain
How the digital world has given some people voices – and taken others’ away
For people with special needs, digital communication is a force for both exclusion and inclusion
Parents’ alarm over low take-up of summer catch-up programme for vulnerable pupils
Government says it is working with schools to provide necessary resources and supports
Children with disabilities much more likely to be bullied in school
Many children with additional needs targeted because they are ‘different’
Parents frustrated over primary schools taking holidays next week
Department of Education says schools entitled to use ‘discretionary days’ for holidays
Class ‘key factor’ behind reluctance of schools to enrol autistic pupils
Few special classes provided in wealthy parts of south Dublin, Oireachtas committee hears
Keep Covid-19 suppressed to ensure schools remain open, urge campaigners
One million students and staff return to classrooms as schools fully reopen
Data Protection Commission to contact Department of Health over dossiers on children with autism
Department kept dossiers for use in legal cases, RTÉ documentary to report
Schools reopen but students with additional needs ‘left behind’, say groups
Autism charity criticises ‘half-baked’ plans for phased return to in-person teaching
‘Unconstitutional’ school closures violate children’s rights, say campaigners
Groups say online lessons do not translate into adequate education for all children
Partial reopening of special schools ‘a mixed day’ for families
Parents worry that limited return to class may be even more disruptive for children
Special needs schools: Families ‘deeply upset’ at reopening stand-off
Department and Fórsa union issue contradictory statement over reopening plans
Schools and classes for children with additional needs to reopen next Thursday
Agreement reached with unions over phased return of vulnerable children to classrooms
Union to support reopening special needs schools if concerns addressed
Advocacy groups say move is a ‘significant step’ in the right direction
Call to vaccinate special education staff to speed up schools reopening
Foley to meet advocacy groups amid fears school closures could last months
Parents of children with special needs: ‘It’s just going to chip away at our children’
Government has scrapped plans for special education to resume on Monday due to Covid-19
‘I’m beyond words. We’re ecstatic’: Parents react to special schools reopening
Thousands of vulnerable children regressed and lost key skills during the last school shutdown
Special schools and classes likely to remain open for vulnerable children
Ombudsman says blanket closure of schools is ‘not a viable option’
Vulnerable children ‘losing out’ on vital supports since schools reopened - poll
Survey finds many have reduced access to SNAs due to Covid-19 restrictions
Irish people with disabilities still ‘locked out’ of public spaces
Wheelchair association says 77% of people with disabilities face problems using public pavements, parking and pedestrian crossings
Watchdog review of disabled in institutions sparks call for action
Inclusion Ireland critical of Hiqa reports noting disability experience in residential care
Coronavirus: Disability services must reopen urgently, Dáil committee told
Many people with disabilities ‘depressed and regressing’ in absence of supports
Ireland needs to ‘rapidly upscale’ before second wave, committee to hear
Infectious diseases expert will emphasise rapid testing and contact tracing
Vulnerable students face ‘real risk of regression’
Disability groups to tell Covid-19 committee of children excluded from summer supports
Summer scheme to bridge education gap for special-needs children
Rising concern over vulnerable children losing key skills due to school closures
Dublin city playgrounds to remain shut despite Taoiseach’s announcement
Council says it does not operate supervised playgrounds so will not be reopening facilities
McHugh insists summer programme will not exclude children with disabilities
Campaigners express alarm that plans could exclude thousands of vulnerable children
How will the Covid-19 era affect our youngest citizens?
As the life-saving restrictions begin to loosen, collateral damage is a growing concern
Coronavirus: Fears of ‘disaster’ in residential disability centres
Number of outbreaks in disability centres triples to 82 in two-week period
Coronavirus: 75 care homes at status ‘red’ outbreak
Number of disability centres grappling with clusters of disease nearly triple in two weeks
Parents of those with disabilities ‘changing family members on floors of public toilets’
More than 1,200 parents over the age of 70 acting as primary carers of adult children
Poverty is the biggest election issue for people with disabilities, group says
‘We cannot continue with business as usual’, coalition of advocacy groups says
More than 2,000 with intellectual disabilities living in institutional settings despite policy – report
Inclusion Ireland says Ireland may be in breach of several international rights covenants
Excluding pupils with special needs from school is a perversion of the Constitution
Too many children are unable to get full-time primary and secondary school places
Children without school places: ‘It’s heart-breaking and a national disgrace’
Almost 500 special needs children are in receipt of home tuition because they do not have a school place. Is the problem set to get even worse?
Schools to notify social services when pupils on reduced hours
Campaigners say vulnerable pupils excluded from education through short school days
McHugh says use of reduced timetables for vulnerable pupils is ‘unacceptable’
Minister stops short of taking new steps to monitor or restrict the practice
Schools ‘illegally’ imposing short school days on vulnerable children
One in four children with disabilities and behaviour issues are on curbed timetables
‘Reduced timetable’ system may breach children’s constitutional rights
Traveller cross-party group says audit needed on schools’ use of limited hours
Advocacy groups call for reversal of removal of disabilities training allowance
Conor Dillon says Government decision is ‘discriminating’ against him
School imposing reduced timetables in a way that is ‘not solely child centred’
Warning from the Oireachtas Committee on Education contained in first statutory report on the issue
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