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A NEW BILL introduced today by independent TD Finian McGrath would give recognition to Down Syndrome as a ‘low incidence disorder’ and ensure that adequate provision is made for resource teaching hours to be allocated to students with the condition.
Independent TD Thomas Pringle welcomed the introduction of the bill as a vital measure to ensure that “quality educational provision is provided for these students in mainstream schools”.
Recognising the condition as ‘low incidence’ means that it will automatically qualify for resource teaching hours.
Pringle is a member of the recently formed All Party Parliamentary Group on Down Sydrome.
“I understand the implications of not having Down Syndrome recognised as a low incidence disorder and the urgent need for these children to receive resource teaching hours so that their specific educational needs may be addressed,” he added.
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That is a good step forward!
How is this a good step? Legislating that a person with DS is a lower something other incidence/category, would you like to be categorised as a low order something or other for education because your from say Cork and not Dublin. I find legislating for a person with DS or Autism or ADHD as immoral and commits them to a second class form of citizenship.
Aodhan. Some poeple need extra help in shcool. I dont see any problem with this changes. If it means some get the extra attention the need. It says alot that you will look at them a second class citizen because they automatically get extra hours with a specail needs asistant.
Juana go be a leech somewhere else, nobody is going to fall for that crap.
The “incidence” level of a disability is a ridiculous criterion for assessing qualification for resource teaching. It should be the profundity of the disability, not the frequency of occurrence among the general public.
A clear example of this is the fact that dyslexia, a very serious disability that profoundly effects learning in all areas, has been removed by the DES from the low incidence list…merely because more diagnoses of the disorder are being made than heretofore.
Don’t ever let any politician tell you that a child’s best interests are ever what decides educational policy in this country. It’s not…it’s cost, pure and simple.
Good news. Should have happened sooner.
Lets hope they don’t change “low incidence” category entitlements.
Well done to all those who pushed hard for this allocation of resource hours, now let’s hope it makes it over the line.
There are approximately 200 kids with Down syndrome who do not receive resource teaching hours. resource teaching hours are provided, according to the Dept. of Ed. to “children with special educational needs”, were as learning support through the General Allocation Model are provided to children with learning difficulties. I think most people would agree that all children with Down syndrome have special educational needs and therefore should be provided with resource teaching hours. It would cost less than €1 million per year to provide all kids with Down syndrome Resource teaching hours and hence stop this blatant discrimination against some children with Down syndrome!
@Una, autism is already categorised as a Low Incidence Disability under the Dept of Ed & NCSE and each child gets 5 hours resource teaching (minus 15% reduction since 2011)
Children with Down Syndrome who are assessed as having a moderate to severe Learning Disability already qualify for resource hours. It’s only those classed with a mild learning disability that don’t, they get extra teaching hours through each schools General Allocation Model.
The little girl in the picture is adorable. Nothing wrong with Down Syndrome children.
Debi what does that sentence mean? ” nothing wrong with Downs Syndrome children”
Yes, the are adorable, I know, i have daughter with DS. And to be honest-yes, there is something wrong with them. My daughter had had 2 hearth operations, having a problem with a neck, not walking yet(22 months) and not talking. And many more issues…
Hi Gary,
Now that I’ve re-read my comment, I can see how it may have come across.
I don’t mean that there is ‘nothing wrong with children who DS’. I know that there are a lot of health issues and learning problems that these children have. I suppose what I was really trying to say is that even though they have DS – they are still like every other child in this world – beautiful and as normal as much as they can be in the circumstances that life has bestowed upon them.
Could they not just include Down Syndrome in resource teaching hours without having to change its name.. at the end of the day its still the same disability.. good news though still..
They didn’t change its name, they put it in a ‘low incidence’ category which means they will automatically get resource hours.
Those with a severe speech and language delay/disorder also are in the low incidence category.
Unfortunately not all children with a specific speech & language disorder receive resource teaching hours. In order to qualify for resource hours under under this category the Dept of Ed. circular states that children must have an average IQ. All children with Down syndrome have a specific speech and language disorder. This should ensure that they qualify for resource teaching hours under this category but they do not ……..because they do not have an average IQ. Discrimination???
My son doesn’t have an IQ, they were unable to give him an iq due to a substantial difference between verbal and non verbal IQ. Non verbal IQ 99 verbal IQ 47. He was in the 1st percentile for expressive, receptive and phonological speech. His is low incidence therefore he needs extra help in school. If he was in a higher percentile he would not be in low incidence, because he was severe, he was in low incidence.
As you see from my comment I said severe speech and language delay/disorder not moderate or mild.
In my opinion children applying for resources hours & SNA “access” currently & into the future will be granted far less by the NCSE.
How can a child with a physical disability not be granted their 3 resource hours (less 15% cuts to date)? The reason is a high IQ. How can a high IQ nullify a child’s physical disability?
Children who need support should be able to access it without having to be given “a label “just to satisfy silly paper pushing nonsense. I live and work with adults who have various so called disabilities. Over the last 27 years I have learned that we are all the same, we just need different support. You only notice disability when you expect people to live in a world designed for the so called able-bodied. In my opinion All children should be supported to learn to the best of their ability & no labels . We say we want equality for everybody, but we separate People by using labels.
With down syndrome people does not needs labels-it is perfectly written in their faces. It is not the same when kids with learning difficulties or with down syndrome. I met kids in playgroup and 4 years not able to speak, I met girl, she is 9 and she knows to tell might be 30 words.. It is very upsetting for parents…. Very sad.. First year of my daughters life I spend in hospital… One appointment after another.. And there is not just difficulties, there is disability.
Ps. And is not disorder.
What about Autism
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