Latest news with #PALS
Irish Independent
24-05-2025
- Irish Independent
Mum of autistic boy assaulted by teacher calls for CCTV in all special schools – ‘How many other people like Tanya are out there?'
Today at 09:00 The mother of an autistic child who was assaulted by preschool worker, Tanya Shortt, says if it wasn't for CCTV cameras in the preschool, Shortt may never have been caught and could still be working with vulnerable children. Tanya Shortt (36), from Esmondale, Kilcullen Road, Naas, Co Kildare, was given two two-month suspended sentences at Blanchardstown District Court last month after pleading guilty to assaulting two children at Play and Language Support (PALS) preschool for autistic children in Finglas, north Dublin in January 2023.
Sunday World
19-05-2025
- Sunday World
Mum says teacher attacked autistic son like angry bouncer kicking someone out of club
'She told my son he was disgusting – She grabbed his hand behind his back' The mother of an autistic child assaulted by preschool worker Tanya Shortt has told how the teacher twisted her young son's arm behind his back and called him disgusting. The distraught mother described the assault as looking like something an angry bouncer kicking someone out of a nightclub would do - rather than a preschool teacher. She is now calling for CCTV to be installed in all facilities for vulnerable kids. The Sunday World revealed last week how Shortt (36), from Esmondale, Kilcullen Road, Naas, Co Kildare, was given two two-month suspended sentences at Blanchardstown District Court last month after pleading guilty to assaulting two children at Play and Language Support (PALS) preschool for autistic children in Finglas, Dublin in January 2023. Shortt was caught after other staff members reported her worrying behaviour around children and alerted bosses, who reviewed CCTV, suspended her and contacted gardai. We spoke to families last week who were devastated after learning about Shortt's violent behaviour. Our story last week More details have now emerged as other parents came forward this week to tell their stories. The mother of a six-year-old boy assaulted by Shortt said she was shocked when she sat in court just metres from the former teacher as CCTV of the incident was played. 'It was very difficult. I was shocked by what I had seen on the camera. I wasn't the better of it at all,' she said. 'His nose was running and she was telling him he was disgusting. She grabbed his hand behind his back and brought him over to the sink. It was like he was being taken out of a pub. The child started bursting out crying. 'All she had to do was say would you go over here; she didn't even need to put her hands on the child.' Another mother, who was also present in court to see the video, said: 'She completely twisted his arm and held it in that twisted position behind his back.' Our reporter Alan Sherry confronts Tanya Shortt The boy's mother said after Shortt assaulted him he no longer wanted to go to school, would hit himself and became overly cautious of new people he would meet. She said Shortt took his 'innocence, his trust and happy spirit.' She also told how he would mimic what Shortt did to him and would call his siblings 'disgusting' and try to restrain them. The mum said her ability to trust services available to her children has been greatly impacted since the assault. Tanya Shortt News in 90 Seconds - May 19th 'I have refused respite services that I desperately need because I no longer believe my children are safe in the care of those employed to mind them,' she said. She said, unlike PALS, the respite service did not have CCTV so she wasn't taking any chances. 'I hope for a change in the law in the future so that CCTV can be mandatory in all special needs schools and any place where there are vulnerable or non-verbal people being cared for.' She said without CCTV, Shortt may have never been brought to justice. 'CCTV is absolutely fantastic because it's black and white and there's no hearsay and she's bang to rights. But you need a human to raise concerns and a human to look at the CCTV and a human to make the calls to the guards and that's what they done,' she said. 'PALS did completely the right thing.' Another mother was shown CCTV of her daughter being pulled by one arm from a play pool but was later told the DPP decided not to prosecute over that incident. She sat in court during the recent case and watched all of the CCTV of the various incidents. She described other incidents, including pinching of children, and said Shortt always appeared to hide what she was doing from other staff. 'She was bending down leaning over some of the kids, like as if she was trying to help them, I suppose, but as she was leaning down she'd be pinching their arms. Everything was really sneaky so other staff couldn't see.' She said in the incident where Shortt grabbed her daughter by one arm that once other staff turned around she grabbed her by two arms. 'You could see in the videos she was waiting for the right opportunity. It was very sly and she knew she shouldn't have been doing it. 'There were other people in the room but obviously when they're busy with other kids and turned their back for a second, that seemed to be when she did things.' She said the CCTV only covered a short amount of time and parents fear there could have been other incidents. 'It was like only like a day or two before Christmas and there was a Christmas break and then there was like a day after so we got very, very little footage.' Both mothers praised how PALS handled the situation. The mother of the six-year-old said: 'They were as stressed as we were. They were very attached to my children. 'They've always been very kind. They have always been very good from my experience with them. There is nothing I can really fault them with. 'They could have said we're not going to pursue this we're a charity and rely on people's opinions and donations but instead they pursued it I think the school should be commended on it. They should be praised.'
Sunday World
19-05-2025
- Sunday World
Parent says teacher attacked autistic son like angry bouncer kicking someone out of club
'She told my son he was disgusting – She grabbed his hand behind his back' The mother of an autistic child assaulted by preschool worker Tanya Shortt has told how the teacher twisted her young son's arm behind his back and called him disgusting. The distraught mother described the assault as looking like something an angry bouncer kicking someone out of a nightclub would do - rather than a preschool teacher. She is now calling for CCTV to be installed in all facilities for vulnerable kids. The Sunday World revealed last week how Shortt (36), from Esmondale, Kilcullen Road, Naas, Co Kildare, was given two two-month suspended sentences at Blanchardstown District Court last month after pleading guilty to assaulting two children at Play and Language Support (PALS) preschool for autistic children in Finglas, Dublin in January 2023. Shortt was caught after other staff members reported her worrying behaviour around children and alerted bosses, who reviewed CCTV, suspended her and contacted gardai. We spoke to families last week who were devastated after learning about Shortt's violent behaviour. Our story last week More details have now emerged as other parents came forward this week to tell their stories. The mother of a six-year-old boy assaulted by Shortt said she was shocked when she sat in court just metres from the former teacher as CCTV of the incident was played. 'It was very difficult. I was shocked by what I had seen on the camera. I wasn't the better of it at all,' she said. 'His nose was running and she was telling him he was disgusting. She grabbed his hand behind his back and brought him over to the sink. It was like he was being taken out of a pub. The child started bursting out crying. 'All she had to do was say would you go over here; she didn't even need to put her hands on the child.' Another mother, who was also present in court to see the video, said: 'She completely twisted his arm and held it in that twisted position behind his back.' Our reporter Alan Sherry confronts Tanya Shortt The boy's mother said after Shortt assaulted him he no longer wanted to go to school, would hit himself and became overly cautious of new people he would meet. She said Shortt took his 'innocence, his trust and happy spirit.' She also told how he would mimic what Shortt did to him and would call his siblings 'disgusting' and try to restrain them. The mum said her ability to trust services available to her children has been greatly impacted since the assault. Tanya Shortt News in 90 Seconds - May 19th 'I have refused respite services that I desperately need because I no longer believe my children are safe in the care of those employed to mind them,' she said. She said, unlike PALS, the respite service did not have CCTV so she wasn't taking any chances. 'I hope for a change in the law in the future so that CCTV can be mandatory in all special needs schools and any place where there are vulnerable or non-verbal people being cared for.' She said without CCTV, Shortt may have never been brought to justice. 'CCTV is absolutely fantastic because it's black and white and there's no hearsay and she's bang to rights. But you need a human to raise concerns and a human to look at the CCTV and a human to make the calls to the guards and that's what they done,' she said. 'PALS did completely the right thing.' Another mother was shown CCTV of her daughter being pulled by one arm from a play pool but was later told the DPP decided not to prosecute over that incident. She sat in court during the recent case and watched all of the CCTV of the various incidents. She described other incidents, including pinching of children, and said Shortt always appeared to hide what she was doing from other staff. 'She was bending down leaning over some of the kids, like as if she was trying to help them, I suppose, but as she was leaning down she'd be pinching their arms. Everything was really sneaky so other staff couldn't see.' She said in the incident where Shortt grabbed her daughter by one arm that once other staff turned around she grabbed her by two arms. 'You could see in the videos she was waiting for the right opportunity. It was very sly and she knew she shouldn't have been doing it. 'There were other people in the room but obviously when they're busy with other kids and turned their back for a second, that seemed to be when she did things.' She said the CCTV only covered a short amount of time and parents fear there could have been other incidents. 'It was like only like a day or two before Christmas and there was a Christmas break and then there was like a day after so we got very, very little footage.' Both mothers praised how PALS handled the situation. The mother of the six-year-old said: 'They were as stressed as we were. They were very attached to my children. 'They've always been very kind. They have always been very good from my experience with them. There is nothing I can really fault them with. 'They could have said we're not going to pursue this we're a charity and rely on people's opinions and donations but instead they pursued it I think the school should be commended on it. They should be praised.'
Sunday World
19-05-2025
- Sunday World
Another parent shares shock at preschool teacher's assault on autistic child
'She told my son he was disgusting – She grabbed his hand behind his back' The distraught mother described the assault as looking like something an angry bouncer kicking someone out of a nightclub would do - rather than a preschool teacher. She is now calling for CCTV to be installed in all facilities for vulnerable kids. The Sunday World revealed last week how Shortt (36), from Esmondale, Kilcullen Road, Naas, Co Kildare, was given two two-month suspended sentences at Blanchardstown District Court last month after pleading guilty to assaulting two children at Play and Language Support (PALS) preschool for autistic children in Finglas, Dublin in January 2023. Shortt was caught after other staff members reported her worrying behaviour around children and alerted bosses, who reviewed CCTV, suspended her and contacted gardai. We spoke to families last week who were devastated after learning about Shortt's violent behaviour. Our story last week More details have now emerged as other parents came forward this week to tell their stories. The mother of a six-year-old boy assaulted by Shortt said she was shocked when she sat in court just metres from the former teacher as CCTV of the incident was played. 'It was very difficult. I was shocked by what I had seen on the camera. I wasn't the better of it at all,' she said. 'His nose was running and she was telling him he was disgusting. She grabbed his hand behind his back and brought him over to the sink. It was like he was being taken out of a pub. The child started bursting out crying. 'All she had to do was say would you go over here; she didn't even need to put her hands on the child.' Another mother, who was also present in court to see the video, said: 'She completely twisted his arm and held it in that twisted position behind his back.' Our reporter Alan Sherry confronts Tanya Shortt The boy's mother said after Shortt assaulted him he no longer wanted to go to school, would hit himself and became overly cautious of new people he would meet. She said Shortt took his 'innocence, his trust and happy spirit.' She also told how he would mimic what Shortt did to him and would call his siblings 'disgusting' and try to restrain them. The mum said her ability to trust services available to her children has been greatly impacted since the assault. Tanya Shortt News in 90 Seconds - May 19th 'I have refused respite services that I desperately need because I no longer believe my children are safe in the care of those employed to mind them,' she said. She said, unlike PALS, the respite service did not have CCTV so she wasn't taking any chances. 'I hope for a change in the law in the future so that CCTV can be mandatory in all special needs schools and any place where there are vulnerable or non-verbal people being cared for.' She said without CCTV, Shortt may have never been brought to justice. 'CCTV is absolutely fantastic because it's black and white and there's no hearsay and she's bang to rights. But you need a human to raise concerns and a human to look at the CCTV and a human to make the calls to the guards and that's what they done,' she said. 'PALS did completely the right thing.' Read more Another mother was shown CCTV of her daughter being pulled by one arm from a play pool but was later told the DPP decided not to prosecute over that incident. She sat in court during the recent case and watched all of the CCTV of the various incidents. She described other incidents, including pinching of children, and said Shortt always appeared to hide what she was doing from other staff. 'She was bending down leaning over some of the kids, like as if she was trying to help them, I suppose, but as she was leaning down she'd be pinching their arms. Everything was really sneaky so other staff couldn't see.' She said in the incident where Shortt grabbed her daughter by one arm that once other staff turned around she grabbed her by two arms. 'You could see in the videos she was waiting for the right opportunity. It was very sly and she knew she shouldn't have been doing it. 'There were other people in the room but obviously when they're busy with other kids and turned their back for a second, that seemed to be when she did things.' She said the CCTV only covered a short amount of time and parents fear there could have been other incidents. 'It was like only like a day or two before Christmas and there was a Christmas break and then there was like a day after so we got very, very little footage.' Both mothers praised how PALS handled the situation. The mother of the six-year-old said: 'They were as stressed as we were. They were very attached to my children. 'They've always been very kind. They have always been very good from my experience with them. There is nothing I can really fault them with. 'They could have said we're not going to pursue this we're a charity and rely on people's opinions and donations but instead they pursued it I think the school should be commended on it. They should be praised.'
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
PALS supports the arts and a soup kitchen
17 years ago, Portsmouth Area Ladies started their nonprofit group to benefit the community and improve the quality of life for the residents in the Portsmouth area. The premise for PALS was quite simple. The organization is a group of volunteers, all ladies, that carries out fundraising activities through events and then distributes that money to other organizations in the community for a variety of needs through grants. From that simple promise, and a lot of hard work by members, PALS has donated over $200,000 back to our community. They recently committed more to two organizations many know: the Portsmouth Little Theatre and Rarden Daily Bread. One of PALS first donations in 2025 is to the Portsmouth Little Theater for a mural restoration project. $400 was approved and the funds will be used to restore the mural on the exterior of the south side of the historic PLT building facing 52 East. The mural reads "Portsmouth Little Theater, Inc." but is faded beyond recognition today. The project will return it to its original glory. PALS also donated $5,000 to the Rarden Daily Bread soup kitchen that will go towards food and for meals. According to the Rarden Daily Bread, funds will be used to buy ingredients not available from the Freestore Food Bank to feed low-income individuals in the community. Rarden Daily Bread began serving meals in 2020 during COVID. Since then, 150,000 meals have been served. On average, 100 plus meals are served each day – 365 days of the year. 'I feel they were both needs within the community,' PALS President Teri Webb stated. 'PLT brings entertainment that would not be found otherwise because the signage they requested funding to redo helps people from other areas find their location. Rarden Daily Bread has been providing meals to their community since 2020 on an all-volunteer basis. Providing the grant will allow them to provide 1250 more meals." PALS' mission statement follows, 'Portsmouth Area Ladies, Inc. will engage in fundraising events and activities using volunteers to support charitable needs and organizations that will improve the quality of life and the changing needs of the residents in Portsmouth and the surrounding area. PALS will cooperate with other not-for-profit organizations when appropriate and address the needs of community children which are not being met by other organizations. The Portsmouth Area Ladies Inc. is a 501C3 organization' The non-profit spends the year fundraising through reverse raffles, purse bingos and more, to raise funding that they then divert to other non-profits who offer social programming, community development and more. They also offer scholarships, assist in the MLK Breakfast, and offer a Christmas benefit each year. Webb explained that she has been involved in a capacity of ways from the start; from being there as a volunteer during its founding, to officially joining over ten years ago. Webb is the patient accounting coordinator at Southern Ohio Medical Center, where she has worked for nearly 30 years. Her time has been spent working closely with her predecessor, Tami Davis, who is also an SOMC employee. 'PALS to me is a good feeling. It is a good feeling because it is a good group of caring women from the area who want to better the community. These women work hard to improve the Portsmouth area,' Webb explained. 'I stay involved because of the work we accomplish and the people we meet. Over the years, we've granted so many good causes, have helped so many during Christmas, and have offered scholarships. It is wonderful seeing everyone come together to do what we do.' PALS is an extended network of driven locals. Some of them include Tami Davis, Teri Webb, Shawn Jordan, Linda Woods-Jones, Debbie Smith, Patty Tennant, Carol Davis, Therese Egbert, Tess Midkiff, Kay Bouyack, Phyllis Fried, Rhoni Maxwell-Rader, Lynsi Eason, Jill Arnzen, Linda Woods-Jones, Ruth Ann Logan, Betty Kennedy, Julia Wisniewski, Toni Dengel and more. To learn more about PALS, their fundraisers, and future grant opportunities, visit
