Two Cork special schools to join pilot project to get therapists
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Two Cork special schools are among 10 nationally to join a pilot project to have desperately-needed therapists introduced from January 1.
Munster’s largest special school, St Killian’s in Mayfield, along with the East Cork Community Special School in Carrigtwohill, are to join the second in-school therapies pilot project from January, Minister Colm Burke told the Irish Examiner on Thursday night.
St Killian’s Special School principal Sue Lenihan has told how students have been distressed since therapists were removed from schools in 2019.
“Therapy in these schools is essential," Ms Lenihan said.
Although St Killian’s school had no official notice of the move to join the pilot, Mr Burke, Minister of State for Public Health announced the decision on social media on Thursday evening. He wrote:
“The focus of the pilot is to provide the effective delivery of enhanced in-school therapy supports to children in selected special schools. It will provide full-time therapist for the school.”
He thanked his Fine Gael colleague Hildegarde Naughton, Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion, for “her work on securing this vital support".
His announcement came hours before Taoiseach Simon Harris is to dissolve the Dáil on Friday, kicking off a three-week election campaign to polling day on November 29.
Last month, interim funding of €40,000 was announced to cover the cost of private therapists at St Killian's Special School until December, following a year-long protest campaign by the school and parents.
But St Killian’s principal Sue Linehan said there is a process they must follow before they can draw down that money which has been more difficult than they anticipated.
On Thursday night, Ms Lenihan said:
She said that getting the pilot scheme up and running had been a problem in other Cork schools already admitted to the first tranche of the in-schools therapies pilot programme.
“So we don’t know what it looks like yet.
"We want to know the staffing levels, the allocation, who will be making decisions. It needs a whole process, not just ‘pay for therapists'.
"We’ll have to triage the most complex cases first, and check that process. There’s a lot involved."
Although Ms Lenihan heard of some issues implementing the pilot programme in Cork, she said that it has been working well in schools in other counties.
Mick Barry, Solidarity and Socialist TD for Cork North Central, accused the government of "making grand announcements" on the eve of the election but "not delivering the goods."
“St Killian's was promised €40K to hire therapists - but hasn't received any money yet," Mr Barry wrote. "Now being told they will be included in 2nd tranche of a therapists in-schools pilot - when 1st tranche isn't up and running yet."
St Killian’s Special School has 104 pupils.
It needs a psychologist, a social worker, an occupational therapist (OT), a speech and language therapist (SLT), and a play therapist, Ms Lenihan said.
Under the current funding scheme it will only be entitled to an OT and an SLT with possible access to play therapy and behavioural therapy.
But Ms Lenihan said that any steps to return therapists to the school would be very welcome and are necessary.
Anne Rabbitte, the minister of state for disability, previously told the Dáil that 10 schools will be selected in an extension of the in-schools therapies pilot project.