September 1st 2006

The West Cork Parents Action Group have been kept extremely busy in their bid to inform the general public of what is happening within the education sector for children with special education needs (SEN). Once again they have secured highly professional speakers for the upcoming public meetings in the Parkway Hotel, Dunmanway, Co. Cork on Thurs. 28th Sept. and Thurs 12th Oct. at 8.00pm. These two meetings should be of great interest to anyone involved with children with special education needs.

Meeting - Sept 28 - EPSEN Act 2004

The first meeting will focus on the EPSEN Act 2004 (Education for Persons with Special Education Needs) and the need for appropriate assessments. There will be three presentations at this meeting.

• Mary Meaney of the National Disability Authority (NDA) will give a detailed presentation on the EPSEN Act 2004, focusing on issues such as making the provisions of the act a reality for children with special education needs and their parents, the need for fully accesible buildings, appropriately qualified teachers, supports for students to complete their education and timely and suitable forms of assessments.
  
  Mary joined the NDA in 2003 as a senior policy and public affairs advisor with responsibility for education. She previously worked in various roles in the education system. Since joining the NDA she has co-ordinated two international conferences on education and disability.
  
  
• Geraldine Graydon of the National Parents Council-Primary will give a presentation on Assessments and the necessity to carry out appropriate assessments to meet the needs of the child and how essential it is to develop an adequate picture of a childs strength and weaknesses.
  
  Geraldine has done tremendous amounts of loggying for children with SEN over the years.
  
  
• Gai Charis will present some thoughts on the Dynamics of Assessments.
  
  Gai is extremely knowledgeable on both Special Needs and Education, being an ex lecturer and researcher in education and social policy, and having taught at every level of education including special needs. Gai is the mother of four children the youngest of whom is severely autistic. Curently she is gathering data on the experiences of parents of children with special needs. If you have any experiences, positive or negative, you would like you to share with Gai in confidence, you can contact here through WCPAG at 028-31411 or email magsod@msn.com.
  

Meeting - Oct 12 - Inclusion and integrating children with special needs in mainstream schools

The second meeting will focus on inclusion and integrating children with special education needs in mainstream schools. There will be four main speakers.

• Mr. William Kinsella will give a presentation on research he has carried out in conjuction with the Equality Authority (under the supervision of Sheelagh Drudy) on "INCLUSION OF PUPILS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS IN MAINSTREAM EDUCATION". The aim is to identify the characteristics of an Inclusive Education System and of an Inclusive school.
  
  William is a full time lecture at the Education Dept. UCD, holds a consultive role in relation to Special Education Needs provisions at Blackrock College and Willow park school where he taught for four years as a learning support teacher. William is also a psychologist and is on the panel of approved psychologists by the National Education Psychological Services (NEPS).
  
  
• Martin Clancy, principal for 9 years of St. Colmans Boys N.S. in a growing town, and Mary O' Driscoll, principal of Knockskeagh N.S Clonakility for 25 years in a small rural community.
  
  Both of these principals have done a tremendous amount of work to include children with SEN into their schools and classrooms. Their presentation will focus on what they have achieved and both the positive and negative experiences the encountered on their way.
  
  
• Caroline Dwyer is a parent of two children with severe language delay. Caroline has a very heart wrenching story to tell on her experiences in securing an adequate education for her children and of the obstacles she was faced with during her plight.