Special needs education crisis Northern Ireland: Mums anxious at being offered P1 places at school still under construction - Deanby Centre Special School in Belfast
Mums of three boys with special needs are anxious at being assigned P1 places at a new Belfast school which is still under construction and has no precise opening date.
The Education Authority (EA) says work on the Deanby Centre in north Belfast is “on schedule” to be completed for the children arriving at the beginning of September.
The EA told Alliance and SDLP MLAS this week there are still 120 special needs children without places for the new term - only six weeks away - and that places cannot be guaranteed.
The number of such children has risen by 50% since 2018, but investment in the sector has not kept pace, MLAs said.
Three Belfast mums whose sons all have significant special needs told the News Letter they were informed late last term that applications to their three preferred schools for P1 places had been rejected.
Instead, they are being offered places at a new centre in North Belfast, which until last term was occupied by Our Lady's Primary School.
On 20 June the EA announced that it had acquired the property and was transforming it into a special needs school to be called the Deanby Centre.
Sinead McCoy said she was offered a place there for her son Conan on 17 June.
She said: "A school that is not built, has no principal, no staff, no experience and at present is theoretical? This is a school that doesn’t exist at present and is nothing but lip service from the EA to cover their back for their failings regarding Conan."
Jemma O'Hara from Ballysillan in north Belfast has also been offered a place for her son Bently.
"I have been advised that the EA is turning the existing building into a Specific Learning Disability School and it would be ready to open in September, as they will be carrying out work on the school,” she said.
"They've said it will have all the needs to accommodate my son when it's up and running. I'm still not happy with this as we know nothing about the school as it's not an established school and we have very little information on it."
Jill Brown, who lives in the Ravenhill area of Belfast, has also been offered a place for her son, Jaye.
"Until now we have had no information about this school, not even as much as when it's opening," she said. "My child hasn't had a chance to see it or had an opportunity to even be introduced to a teacher. The EA knows my concerns about zero information and I won't be sending Jaye to a school that I know nothing about."
Responding to the mothers’ concerns, an EA spokeswoman said: “We would reassure parents/carers that work at the Deanby Centre Special School remains on schedule for completion at the end of August and will be ready to welcome pupils at the beginning of September 2024.
“An information and engagement session will be held to address any parental concerns in early August. An update, including details on the engagement session, will be issued to parents shortly.”
“In the interim, parents/carers with any concerns are encouraged to contact their Link Officer directly.”