08-05-2025
Autism charity welcomes moves to tackle special class policies which block children with greatest needs
A national charity that supports autistic students has welcomed moves to tackle 'exclusionary' school enrollment practices that disproportionally affect children with the greatest level of need.
The charity AsIAm has reacted to the publication of a report by the Department of Education's Inspectorate, which found issues with almost all admission policies used by a selection of mainstream schools to determine entry to their special classes.
The review provides an important spotlight on the admissions policies of some schools, the charity said.
The inspectorate's findings confirm that, too often, admission policies can include exclusionary criteria, such as discriminatory codes of behaviour, updated diagnostic documentation requirements or a lack of resources that disproportionately affect autistic students with higher levels of support needs.
Such practices are reflective of a school system that is not inclusive or in keeping with the spirit of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, it added.
'We commend the report for documenting these issues and for recognising the inconsistency and lack of oversight in how such policies are applied across schools.
'We must remove the inherent prejudicial practices that exist within these policies.'
However, the charity also expressed some concern around the report's references to eligibility criteria for autism class placements.
"It is important to maintain the integrity of accessing an autism class which has a particularly defined criterion.
"It is important the eligibility and the use of these classes are used for the students who have a particular recommendation for same.
No child should be denied the opportunity to learn and thrive because of how their needs are defined or how systems interpret those needs.
Some policies reviewed by the inspectorate required children to be able to participate in mainstream lessons as a condition for admission.
Other clauses 'reserved the right to withdraw the offer of a place based on a perception of the student's behaviour".
It also found several incidences of schools requiring parents to provide additional reports or documentation at the point of application.
Education minister Helen McEntee has now written to the school patron bodies, asking them to commence a review of admissions policies. There are currently 3,335 special classes attached to mainstream schools.
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