A freeze on the number of teachers available to provide support for children with special needs and learning difficulties has led to a soaring number who are being taught in mainstream schools without the help they need.

According to the Irish Independent, more than 84,000 students who may benefit from additional support are now in standard educational facilities – accounting for almost one in ten pupils in primary and secondary schools.

The Department of Education has placed a cap of 9,950 resource teachers for the next educational year and has frozen the application process.

This means that if schools need extra support for students arriving in September, they may have to contact other establishments in the area to see if staff are available.

According to figures reported by the newspaper, around 50,000 children in the Irish system have difficulties such as dyslexia, while 16,629 have disorders such as autism and hearing impairments.

Earlier this month, teachers voted not to take strike action over the issue of cuts to support for special needs pupils after being advised that such an option is not available to them.

Written by Donal Walsh
 

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