DSP Community Advocacy – Together for all of our children!
Over recent years we have launched two campaigns to highlight the lack of resources and supports available to children, not just in DSP, but throughout the nation. As the first Educate Together school community, we truly believe in equality and inclusion! We are an inclusive school community which values diversity and challenges discrimination. Being child-centred with wellbeing a priority, we work together to try to ensure every child can have full and equal access to their education so they can each grow and thrive, and reach their full potential.
We are also a school who believes in building and maintaining relationships with the wider community and helping other schools when needed. That is why when a local school (Our Lady of Good Counsel) found out they were to lose 5.13 SNA posts following a National Council of Special Education led SNA Review, we rallied and showed our support at a gathering at their school on the morning of Monday 16th of February! The gathering was very well attended by the very many other local school communities who are constantly affected by, not only a current lack of supports and resources, but also a continuous threat of the loss of more in the future. Our Student Voice was heard loud and proud – ‘Save Our SNAs!’ What amazing Changemakers we have in our school! We can very proud of our young advocates who understand inequality and work hard to end it!
The gathering brought the media’s attention to the issue. Local elected representatives were then invited to a meeting on Monday February 23rd in the school. At the meeting a large number of principals spoke passionately to advocate for the children, again highlighting the very real lack of supports and resources in schools. The issue of waiting lists for Assessment of Needs and the Children’s Disability Network Teams was also discussed. Solutions to the ongoing crisis were sought and offered by the local principals who strongly advocated for at least one SNA in each classroom to meet the needs of the children in our schools.
On Wednesday 25th February, many protests were organised around the country to highlight the ongoing crisis. Our Student and Community Voice was heard again as we continued our advocacy by joining the protest outside the Dáil. We united with thousands of schools around the country to implore the government to change the unfair process of NCSE led SNA Reviews – a process of review which sees a faceless panel making decisions about what a child needs without ever meeting them!
The result – A pause in the review in SNA Reviews for THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
This pause does not leave schools safe for the future!
We will continue to unite with others to advocate for the needs of every child! We will continue to advocate for at least one SNA in every classroom in Ireland!
Our government must meet our constitution’s commitment; ‘cherishing all the children of the nation equally’