'I’m looking at my son’s uniform in the wardrobe gathering dust': Cork boy left without start date for school

Mayfield mum Leanne Thompson said it is heartbreaking watching her son’s uniform gather dust as he has not been given a start date for the special school she had to fight to get him a place in.

All children offered a place in East Cork Community Special School for the first time this coming school year are still awaiting a start date, including Ms Thompson’s five-year-old son, Eldon.

“After all the fighting to try to get a place for Eldon, we were offered one in June, but it’s nearly October and we still haven’t gotten a start date.”

She said that works are happening to a new extension for the school and, despite the fact that her son will be attending the original school building, they cannot take any of the new students until the extension is ready.

Ms Thompson has a two-year-old daughter who is in creche at the moment. “It’s heartbreaking seeing one child go to school but, because my son has additional needs, he can’t,” she said.

“Waiting on a start date puts off life for me too. He needs full-time care which is limiting me going back to work, even for a few hours, because I constantly have to be at home for him. You have to put your life on hold.”

She added that, while they have transport to take him to school, he will be getting used to things and doing shorter days for the first month. This means she will have to collect him, which will mean taking a bus and then a train.

“I need to figure all this out. I don’t want to leave everything to the last minute to organise but, without having a start date, it’s impossible.”

This latest fight comes after a lengthy battle just to get the school place, she added.

“I had to go through a solicitor in Dublin, who fought tooth and nail to get him a school placement. I have a youth worker constantly emailing, CDNT advocating for us, TDs like Thomas Gould, and I’m emailing the minister all the time — it’s just a constant battle for his right to education, no parent should have to go through it.

“You get a glimmer of hope, then something else comes after. We felt so fortunate to get this place because I know some people who still don’t have one. We just want to know are we going to be waiting until Christmas, after Christmas?

“He won’t even get to do a full year in school.

“I’m looking at my son’s uniform in the wardrobe gathering dust, his sister going to creche. I was able to get her a place and start date. My son, who is at the age [where] he should be in school already, is being discriminated against because he has additional needs.

“It’s not just stopping education, it’s stopping his social life, stopping him from interacting with other kids.”

Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould told The Echo: “Once again, children with additional needs are forced to watch their siblings, friends, and neighbours start school. Their schoolbags gather dust.” He said that “a huge campaign by parents and families… forced the Government to open new schools, but cynically these schools places are still not available.

“I am sick and tired of this response from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. I am sick and tired of plasters to cover gaping wounds when it comes to vulnerable children.”

A department spokesperson told Mr Gould that there was a “significant expansion” of East Cork Community Special School: “My department understands that the expanded capacity for the East Cork Community Special School will open for students very shortly.”