🚨Update Following the publication of the Department of Education — Ireland “Understanding Behaviour of Concern” Guidelines, AsIAm - Ireland’s Autism Charity and Inclusion Ireland, alongside other advocacy groups, met with departmental officials as part of a pre-scheduled meeting of the Special and Inclusive Education Forum on Friday. Once again, we raised significant concerns regarding the reporting mechanism on the use of restraint, set out in the guidelines, including in relation to its compliance with Children’s First legislation, public sector duty and international human rights obligations. We raised a number of questions to the Department on the steps they have taken to ensure the reporting mechanism is lawful and robust and unfortunately received no satisfactory response or meaningful engagement with our concerns. We expressed our regret that the Department had failed to engage with these concerns when both our organisations put them in writing in October either by way of meeting or reassurance. We are particularly concerned that the Department continues to speak about the need to equally respect all perspectives and progress change incrementally when the matter at hand relates to the safeguarding of disabled young people. This approach strikes us as neither rights based or child centered and does not proactively ensure the safety, and access to justice, of children most at risk of abuse. Following this meeting, we will continue to engage with the political system, including the new Minister, to ensure the reporting mechanism is reviewed by a recognised child protection expert prior to coming into operation in September. In this regard, we are also considering what other options or steps our organisations can take to vindicate the rights of those we represent.
This sentiment has to progress right through the persons lifetime. It’s exhausting fighting this battle from my son was in school up to and including adult services. When we asked genuine questions we were told - ‘you don’t need to know what happens in school’. Is it person centred or staff centred. Keep up the great work.
Thank you for your brilliant and ongoing advocacy for our children.
Banu Balaji
2d
So tone deaf! Thank you for this work you are doing
Psychotherapist | Internal Family Systems Therapist (IFS Institute)| Psychodynamic | Clinical Nurse Specialist (Child Adolescent Mental Health)| School Therapist 🚸| 24 years Clinical Exp | ADHDer💪|Always learning ☺️
3wThank you for all you are doing. For those on the frontline a trauma informed understanding is of paramount importance. Ensuring a felt sense of safety wherever possible is vital and no doubt will positively impact each child which will learn the “need” for any restrictive practice in itself. I know this will involve unlearning of old ways but there’s no excuse not to (or shouldn’t be) Well done to you all Inclusion Ireland 👏