Laois TD hopeful launches taskforce for parents of children with special needs

An Independent candidate for Laois in the upcoming general election, has announced the creation of a new Taskforce aimed at supporting parents with children with special needs in Laois.

Ms Elaine Mullally has said she is "shocked and saddened" by the pressure put on parents of children with special needs.

"Parents can't get even the most basic of services," Ms Mullally said.

"One of the most pressing issues is the difficulty in securing school places for children with special needs. Different schools and different principals have different policies, which creates inconsistency and stress for families," she said.

The Portarlington woman highlighted the significant lack of information and support available to parents, particularly during the critical period when a child is first diagnosed.

Pictured: Elaine Mullally

Ms Mullally has said that the Taskforce’s initial goals include the creation of a comprehensive roadmap for parents.

"This roadmap will guide families through the often-confusing process following a diagnosis, offering clear steps and resources," Ms Mullally explained.

"Parents are frequently left upset and overwhelmed after receiving a diagnosis for their child. This roadmap will be a vital tool to help them navigate what comes next."

The TD hopeful attributed the shortage of available therapists in Ireland to emigration.

"Many are emigrating to countries like Australia and Canada for better opportunities. Meanwhile, Irish therapists trained in the UK often face delays of over a year to register with CORU before they can begin working in Ireland," she said.

"We need to address this bottleneck and speed up the registration process."

Ms Mullally has called for the acceleration of conversion courses for qualified teachers, social workers, and nurses, allowing them to complete a master's degree as a Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist, or psychologist.

"Education has never really been an election issue before, but now there is a whole cohort of children and parents struggling," she said. She emphasised the need to prioritise support for special needs children in the upcoming election.

"Parents are the experts on their own children, and we need to empower them," Ms Mullally said.

"If and when elected, I want to ensure that the treatment of special needs children as second-class citizens in healthcare and education stops," she finished.

Ms Mullally has said that the taskforce aims to give a voice to parents and ensure that their concerns are addressed, advocating for a fairer, more inclusive system for children with special needs in Laois.