Three schools apologise after special needs children rejected
Three schools have reached settlements with separate families after children with special needs were not accepted for enrollment.
Last updated 31st May 2017
The claims were brought in a Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal against Wallace High School in Lisburn, Lislagan Primary in Ballymoney and St Brigid's College in Londonderry.
The proceedings involved a refusal by the schools to accept a disabled child as a pupil, although the Education Authority, or one of its predecessor Boards, had identified the schools as suitable for the children.
In Wallace High's case they refused a child who had mobility difficulties and needed to use an electric wheelchair.
At Lislagan, the child in question has Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus and a mild to moderate learning disability.
While at St Brigid's the child who was refused was an 11 year old boy who has an autistic spectrum disorder which has an adverse effect on his ability to learn, concentrate or understand. He also has difficulty understanding social situations and emotions.
Dr Michael Wardlow, chief commissioner with the Equality Commission said: "There is a lesson from these cases for every school.”
“When a disabled child applies for a place, they should proactively give proper consideration to how they can adapt to meet the needs of that pupil.
"These are children who have enough barriers facing them in life.
"Their unemployment levels are higher, their GCSE results are about 28 percentage points behind.
"They don’t need the additional barriers than can be thrown up when schools decide that their needs cannot be accommodated.
"They shouldn't be doing this because legislation requires them to.
"They should be doing this because that's what you want from a school.
"You want a school to be representative of your local community and you want children to be included from a very early age.
"Certainly you don't want a stigma created from a fairly early age where a child doesn't feel welcome."
In all three cases, the schools have apologised and are getting training from the Equality Commission on how to better handle differently abled students and what their duties under the law are.