Northern Ireland day of public sector strike action: Mother of teen with special needs says action could cause 'severe meltdowns

Next week will see teachers, health workers, transport workers and civil servants strike over pay in a unified strike across the public sector.

Unions across sectors will join together in the ‘day of action’ on Thursday in response to the failure to award a pay deal in line with colleagues across the UK.

During talks between Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris and the Stormont parties in December, a £3.3 billion financial package to accompany the return of devolution was offered. The package would include money to make an outstanding pay award to public sector workers.

However, with Stormont remaining effectively collapsed that funding has not materialised. An NIO spokesperson previously said the package will remain on the table until a new executive is formed to allocate it.

Northern Ireland’s junior doctors are also voting on whether or not to strike for the first time ever, the result of which will not be known until mid-February.

But Martha said the result of the planned strike action on her family could be substantial. Her son is a pupil at Glenveagh School in south Belfast, which provides special education.

“The kids at Glenveagh don't understand that strikes are going on,” she told the News Letter.

“They don't understand that at all. They don't know why they can't go to school. And usually the children, especially in Michael's class, their whole day is completely structured – routine is part of that.

“And when that is suddenly taken away, and the kids don't understand, it's detrimental to them. There's only so much we as parents can do.”

While she is a full-time carer for her mother, her husband works outside the home. “So it is just everyone's routine that is at stake for us. Whether you get a day’s notice or two it is still really not good enough.”

When he is out in public her son requires two adults to take care of him. “But he is at home when he should be at school, and my husband is out at work, it would just be me looking after him.

“And because I look after my elderly mother as well, if Michael is at home I have to organise my whole day around him.”

Michael has ADHD, epilepsy and severe behavioural problems. “So when his day is all out of sync he can react violently and go into severe meltdowns, which he is on medication for. So when things aren't planned right and don't go his way he reacts physically.

“If I can't cope on my own I have to get my husband to come home to help.”

Joan Henderson is managing director of Solas, a charity based on the Ormeau Road in Belfast which specialises in supporting children with additional needs and autism.

“When the schools are off, for a lot of our children the change in routine would have an impact on their anxiety levels and potentially that leads to higher levels of meltdowns,” she told the News Letter.

“That triggers a lot of different difficulties for children that have disabilities. So keeping the routine is very important to give that security to all the children that we would help.”