Disability Services)

Eight submissions focused on recommendations and suggestions around disability policy and service provision for children and young people (the NDA; DFI; NFVSP; Leap; SCNN; Chime; and the IWA).

The NDA outlined a range of recommendations relating to children and young people with disabilities, including that the Department continue its cross-departmental work in championing children and young people with disabilities. Regarding DCEDIY strategy and policy, the NDA recommended that children and young people with disabilities are “a core priority” in a successor policy to Better Outcomes Brighter Futures. They also recommended a greater focus on young people with disabilities in a successor to the National Strategy on Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making,” and to “work collaboratively with all Departments and agencies in achieving implementation of the most recent Concluding Observations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child”.

The NDA also recommended deepening cooperation between TUSLA and the HSE in relation to children with disabilities in the care system, and the full implementation of the HSE and Tusla Joint Protocol for Interagency collaboration (2017).

In terms of ELC and SAC, the NDA recommended the full implementation of AIM and the publication of the 3-year evaluation of the model. They suggested that this “would be an opportune time for a cross-Departmental consideration of how all children with disabilities” might access mainstream ELC. They recommended that “the current system of overage exemptions should cease,” advising that “an enhanced supportive process should be developed and integrated within AIM…to be called AIM Plus”. Referring to ELC settings, the NDA suggested that the Department “further the implementation of the Universal Design Guidelines”.

For school-aged children with disabilities, the NDA recommended full access to the National Childcare Scheme (afterschool services). Chime, in their submission, recommended that the Department should “ensure that the ECCE AIM Programme and NCSE supports such as SNA and Visiting Teacher Services work in a seamless way to support children and families”.

Regarding foster care, the NDA recommended that consideration be afforded to the Ombudsman for Children’s report on Molly’s Case, in the context of the Department’s role in achieving a coordinated, cross-Government policy approach.

In terms of accessing support services, the NFVSP suggested that children with intellectual abilities face lengthy waiting lists for multi-disciplinary supports, which can have longer-term developmental consequences. Chime echoed this point, suggesting that “children with complex needs” are “unable to access proper assessments in areas such as psychology, psychiatry, SLT and OT,” resulting in delays or misdiagnosis, with long-term impacts.

The NFVSP recommended that the DCEDIY consider the “nursing needs of children with complex medical conditions to enable them to attend school” and that “transition planning” for children with intellectual disabilities “is required at an early stage during the school cycle”. According to the SCNN, adolescence “poses additional challenges for those who have existing physical and/or mental health concerns or a disability,” especially when transitioning from child to adult services. The SCNN recommended improving transition experiences by “encouraging paediatric, adult and community services to work collaboratively to support young people” in this regard.

Leap discussed the role of families of children with disabilities, and recommended the provision of ‘soft roles’ to families, such as “Inclusion Facilitators in schools and Community Connectors in communities”.

The IWA focused on young people with physical disabilities and recommended that the Department aim for “all youth services nationally to be physically accessible environments”. They recommended that all youth workers undergo Disability Awareness (DA) Training, and that young people with a physical disability are supported “to attend mainstream school,” which may include increased Personal Assistant hours. They suggested that schools are provided with funding streams to “promote project work between young people with and without a disability”.

In relation to Progressing Disability Services (PDS), the NFVSP recommended the DCEDIY commit to continued investment and reviewing implementation to date. They suggested that implementation has been “slower than required,” resulting in delays.