At the age of 12, I was diagnosed with dyslexia, one of the specific learning disabilities (SLD) that affects 10% of the population in Ireland.
My educational psychology assessment was free, as the school was allowed two a year, and I was deemed to warrant one. Once diagnosed, I was given fantastic support throughout my education at both primary and secondary levels. This included extra classes and an exemption from languages; and in exams, I had additional time and a reader. In fifth year, I had to get another assessment, which I went for privately, costing €1,000 at the time. This was to qualify for the Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) scheme. As a result, my support continued at third-level.
One of the biggest barriers preventing children and adolescents from accessing the learning and additional support they need is financial restraint, according to Joy Booth, Fundraising Manager at Sensational Kids.
One in four
“The statistics at the moment are that one in four children in Ireland has a special educational need, which is way more, I think, than a lot of people realise,” says Joy. “We’re talking about hundreds of thousands of children. This is resulting in a huge demand – the services just aren’t there to meet it.”
At the moment, some children have to wait for up to four years for assessments and support, with more than 86,000 in line for an assessment, diagnosis and therapy services, according to Joy. This can range from children with autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia – and a whole range of neurodevelopmental conditions.
The number of children needing these supports is increasing year-on-year.
“It doesn’t seem to be improving a whole lot,” says Joy. “We are hoping to expand our services, but we’re restricted in what we can do. It’s heartbreaking for us to see that happening and for us to only be able to do a certain amount about it.
“In terms of children’s educational opportunities and then obviously later on in their career opportunities, they’re being limited because of a waiting list.”
Depending on the number of pupils, schools are given one, two or three free assessments each year. The reality is that there aren’t enough assessments for the demand needed and, as a result, children who critically need early intervention are regressing.
A lot of people who come to us would love to be able to pay for private services. I think a lot of parents feel quite guilty when they can’t. They might be on an average wage and then this big bombshell comes and they’re saying, ‘how are we going to do this?’ There’s a real sense of ‘I’m failing my child
Sensational Kids was founded as a social enterprise in 2007, by mother and CEO Karen Leigh from Kildare. At the time, she was looking for support for her son Conor, who was born with one ear and a partial ear canal. As he got older, he was also diagnosed with dyspraxia. When trying to get the support they needed, Karen and her husband started coming up against barriers. Recognising the lack of supports for families, they set up Sensational Kids.
At the start, Sensational Kids had just one occupational therapist. Due to the demand, it grew from there. The model they decided to use was a non-profit business because they wanted families to be able to have timely access to the support they needed and for it to be affordable. Soon they found that the demand was way beyond what they were able to meet.
“A lot of families simply weren’t able to pay anything or they couldn’t even afford the subsidised rate,” says Joy.
Through grants and fundraising, they wanted to bridge the gap between the public and private services.
“A lot of people who come to us would love to be able to pay for private services. I think a lot of parents feel quite guilty when they can’t. They might be on an average wage and then this big bombshell comes and they’re saying, ‘how are we going to do this?’ There’s a real sense of ‘I’m failing my child’.”
Sensational Kids has now helped more than 10,000 children with additional needs by providing vital therapeutic support. This is ensuring that these children have access to support when and where they need it. “So that finances are never a barrier for a child being able to get the support that they need,” says Joy.
Joy Booth, fundraising manager, Sensational Kids.
To make the services more accessible, Sensational Kids opened another three centres to cover each province. They now have one in Monaghan, Mayo and west Cork, and they have started building a new National Child Development Centre in Kildare town. The new centre will triple its capacity but they still need to fundraise a further ¤3m to complete the project.
So what are the costs of the services? If you were to have a comprehensive two-hour educational psychological assessment, including a full report, it will cost roughly €1,500. When a child or adolescent goes to Sensational Kids, the subsidy amount is €990 and the parent has to pay €550. A lot of their services are subsidised by between 40% and 60%.
National Council for Special Education
When seeking a formal identification of what may be a specific learning need, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) recommends that parents initially discuss their concerns with their child’s teacher, and/or the school principal.
Schools can often provide initial assessments and interventions, if deemed necessary. Should further educational assessment be required, the school can explain to parents how they can progress to obtaining a psychological assessment in respect of a student.
The NCSE does not have a function in relation to the provision of educational psychological assessments. Instead, this usually sits with the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS). NEPS provides psychological assessments through the public education system; it does not operate a waiting list system in respect of potential candidates for a psychological assessment. Instead, schools work with NEPS psychologists on prioritising their work with them based on their level of need.
The NCSE aims to ensure that children with special educational needs receive tailored support through mainstream classes, special classes, or special schools, based on their individual needs. Parents seeking support for their child with special educational needs can contact their local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO). For more information, see ncse.ie.
Signs to look for
Tom Butler is a chartered educational psychologist working at Butler Psychology Services Ltd. He outlines the signs parents should be aware of when it comes to identifying specific learning disabilities (SLD).
“For literacy and dyslexia-related difficulties, pupils are normally reluctant to engage with books and often do not retain basic sounds and CVC words (words that have a consonant, vowel and a consonant),” he says. “Usually, they may learn something and find it very hard to retain it in the long-term. This is true, especially for spelling. Irish can be very difficult for them as it involves a second phonics system, e.g. the word ‘teach’. Parents often say their homework takes ages.
“In terms of maths and dyscalculia, there are often big gaps that become evident in their maths knowledge. Place value and the relative value of a number can be key pointers. Fractions and time also. If their concept of numbers is weak, this can permeate through all other parts of the maths curriculum.”
He adds: “The biggest advantage of getting children assessed and diagnosed early is the clarity it provides for parents, in that it rules out any other general challenges a child might have.” CL
In short
One in four children in Ireland has a special education need.More than 86,000 children are waiting for an assessment, diagnosis and therapy services. A comprehensive two-hour educational psychological assessment, including a full report, costs around €1,500. Sensational Kids see 300 children at their four centres every week.According to the Disability Federation of Ireland, the number of students in higher education registered with disability support services has increased by 273% since 2008/2009.
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At the age of 12, I was diagnosed with dyslexia, one of the specific learning disabilities (SLD) that affects 10% of the population in Ireland.
My educational psychology assessment was free, as the school was allowed two a year, and I was deemed to warrant one. Once diagnosed, I was given fantastic support throughout my education at both primary and secondary levels. This included extra classes and an exemption from languages; and in exams, I had additional time and a reader. In fifth year, I had to get another assessment, which I went for privately, costing €1,000 at the time. This was to qualify for the Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) scheme. As a result, my support continued at third-level.
One of the biggest barriers preventing children and adolescents from accessing the learning and additional support they need is financial restraint, according to Joy Booth, Fundraising Manager at Sensational Kids.
One in four
“The statistics at the moment are that one in four children in Ireland has a special educational need, which is way more, I think, than a lot of people realise,” says Joy. “We’re talking about hundreds of thousands of children. This is resulting in a huge demand – the services just aren’t there to meet it.”
At the moment, some children have to wait for up to four years for assessments and support, with more than 86,000 in line for an assessment, diagnosis and therapy services, according to Joy. This can range from children with autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia – and a whole range of neurodevelopmental conditions.
The number of children needing these supports is increasing year-on-year.
“It doesn’t seem to be improving a whole lot,” says Joy. “We are hoping to expand our services, but we’re restricted in what we can do. It’s heartbreaking for us to see that happening and for us to only be able to do a certain amount about it.
“In terms of children’s educational opportunities and then obviously later on in their career opportunities, they’re being limited because of a waiting list.”
Depending on the number of pupils, schools are given one, two or three free assessments each year. The reality is that there aren’t enough assessments for the demand needed and, as a result, children who critically need early intervention are regressing.
A lot of people who come to us would love to be able to pay for private services. I think a lot of parents feel quite guilty when they can’t. They might be on an average wage and then this big bombshell comes and they’re saying, ‘how are we going to do this?’ There’s a real sense of ‘I’m failing my child
Sensational Kids was founded as a social enterprise in 2007, by mother and CEO Karen Leigh from Kildare. At the time, she was looking for support for her son Conor, who was born with one ear and a partial ear canal. As he got older, he was also diagnosed with dyspraxia. When trying to get the support they needed, Karen and her husband started coming up against barriers. Recognising the lack of supports for families, they set up Sensational Kids.
At the start, Sensational Kids had just one occupational therapist. Due to the demand, it grew from there. The model they decided to use was a non-profit business because they wanted families to be able to have timely access to the support they needed and for it to be affordable. Soon they found that the demand was way beyond what they were able to meet.
“A lot of families simply weren’t able to pay anything or they couldn’t even afford the subsidised rate,” says Joy.
Through grants and fundraising, they wanted to bridge the gap between the public and private services.
“A lot of people who come to us would love to be able to pay for private services. I think a lot of parents feel quite guilty when they can’t. They might be on an average wage and then this big bombshell comes and they’re saying, ‘how are we going to do this?’ There’s a real sense of ‘I’m failing my child’.”
Sensational Kids has now helped more than 10,000 children with additional needs by providing vital therapeutic support. This is ensuring that these children have access to support when and where they need it. “So that finances are never a barrier for a child being able to get the support that they need,” says Joy.
Joy Booth, fundraising manager, Sensational Kids.
To make the services more accessible, Sensational Kids opened another three centres to cover each province. They now have one in Monaghan, Mayo and west Cork, and they have started building a new National Child Development Centre in Kildare town. The new centre will triple its capacity but they still need to fundraise a further ¤3m to complete the project.
So what are the costs of the services? If you were to have a comprehensive two-hour educational psychological assessment, including a full report, it will cost roughly €1,500. When a child or adolescent goes to Sensational Kids, the subsidy amount is €990 and the parent has to pay €550. A lot of their services are subsidised by between 40% and 60%.
National Council for Special Education
When seeking a formal identification of what may be a specific learning need, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) recommends that parents initially discuss their concerns with their child’s teacher, and/or the school principal.
Schools can often provide initial assessments and interventions, if deemed necessary. Should further educational assessment be required, the school can explain to parents how they can progress to obtaining a psychological assessment in respect of a student.
The NCSE does not have a function in relation to the provision of educational psychological assessments. Instead, this usually sits with the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS). NEPS provides psychological assessments through the public education system; it does not operate a waiting list system in respect of potential candidates for a psychological assessment. Instead, schools work with NEPS psychologists on prioritising their work with them based on their level of need.
The NCSE aims to ensure that children with special educational needs receive tailored support through mainstream classes, special classes, or special schools, based on their individual needs. Parents seeking support for their child with special educational needs can contact their local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO). For more information, see ncse.ie.
Signs to look for
Tom Butler is a chartered educational psychologist working at Butler Psychology Services Ltd. He outlines the signs parents should be aware of when it comes to identifying specific learning disabilities (SLD).
“For literacy and dyslexia-related difficulties, pupils are normally reluctant to engage with books and often do not retain basic sounds and CVC words (words that have a consonant, vowel and a consonant),” he says. “Usually, they may learn something and find it very hard to retain it in the long-term. This is true, especially for spelling. Irish can be very difficult for them as it involves a second phonics system, e.g. the word ‘teach’. Parents often say their homework takes ages.
“In terms of maths and dyscalculia, there are often big gaps that become evident in their maths knowledge. Place value and the relative value of a number can be key pointers. Fractions and time also. If their concept of numbers is weak, this can permeate through all other parts of the maths curriculum.”
He adds: “The biggest advantage of getting children assessed and diagnosed early is the clarity it provides for parents, in that it rules out any other general challenges a child might have.” CL
In short
One in four children in Ireland has a special education need.More than 86,000 children are waiting for an assessment, diagnosis and therapy services. A comprehensive two-hour educational psychological assessment, including a full report, costs around €1,500. Sensational Kids see 300 children at their four centres every week.According to the Disability Federation of Ireland, the number of students in higher education registered with disability support services has increased by 273% since 2008/2009.
Read more
Agri Careers: Increasing accessibility to adult education
Agri Careers: horticulture students bring home bronze from Estonia
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