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New AIM scheme to ensure better access to pre-school for children with disabilities
- 15 June 2016
- Type: Press Release
- Topic: Disability, Education
AIM scheme to implement many recommendations made by Ombudsman for Children’s Office
The Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon, has welcomed the confirmation by the Minister for Children, Katherine Zappone, that the new Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), will ensure children with disabilities have better access to pre-school and that the new scheme will promote a child-centred approach. This comes following recommendations made by the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) on the same issue.
“On foot of a complaint received by the Ombudsman for Children’s Office, an investigation was carried out into access to pre-school for children with disabilities. The report on this complaint was published in March 2013.
“It is very encouraging to see that the AIM scheme includes a number of the recommendations made by the OCO and that it will be responsive to the needs of the individual child. I urged the Government to recognise that at pre-school age many children have not been given a formal diagnosis and therefore I am pleased to see that AIM will instead take a more child-centred approach, by offering tailored, practical supports based on need.
“This Office recommended a review of the policy approach to inclusion for children with disabilities in preschool. The new Inclusion Charter for the Early Years sector, as well as updated Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Guidelines for Early Childhood Care and Education, indicate significant progress in this area.
“The OCO also recommended that plans should be put in place to drive up-skilling in the pre-school services under the ECCE scheme, with particular reference to special needs training. I am delighted to see that a new higher education programme for early years practitioners will commence in September and graduates of that programme will be able to take on a new leadership role of Inclusion Co-ordinator. This must form part of a much broader training and education package for the early years workforce.
“Effective cross-sectoral communication also formed a key part of the OCO’s recommendations. It is therefore important to recognise that negotiations between the health, children and education sectors made this scheme a reality.
“The announcement of the AIM scheme marks a good day for children with disabilities and their parents. There are, however, practical concerns about the quick turnaround for applicants to the scheme, as well as for those applying for the graduate training programme. Therefore, I would encourage parents and early years practitioners interested in the new graduate programme, to begin the application process as soon as possible.
“The AIM scheme will allow children with disabilities to take a full and equal part in the Early Childhood Care and Education programme, and as a result it will make our pre-schools much more inclusive, and provide all of our children with a real opportunity to blossom and benefit from the programme.”
ENDS
Contact:
Aoife Carragher
Ombudsman for Children’s Office
01 865 6806 / 087 148 4173
Notes to Editor
- The Ombudsman for Children’s Office is an independent statutory body with an overall mandate to promote the rights and welfare of children under the age of 18 living in Ireland.
- The Ombudsman for Children also has the statutory function to encourage public bodies to develop policies, practices and procedures designed to promote the rights and welfare of children.
- The full text of the Ombudsman for Children’s report; A statement based on a complaint regarding the inclusion of a child with disabilities attending a mainstream pre-school under the Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme
- 15 June 2016
- Type: Press Release
- Topic: Disability, Education
