This has left principals and parents in Northern Ireland increasingly concerned. They worry that losing school nurses from special education public charter schools might put their kids at risk. They worry that this decision could put the safety and well-being of their students with intricate medical needs at risk. That conversation has turned critical. Families such as Lesley Anderson’s, whose son Colin requires complex and severe medical oversight, rely heavily on a trained nursing staff available in school.
Her son Colin, who has severe complex medical needs, goes to a school that has a nurse on staff. His mother, Lesley, says the school nurse is essential to keeping Colin healthy and safe. She stated, “The nurse has a fine line of knowing when Colin is ill and knows when to call an ambulance.” Consequently, this experience reflects the heavy dependence millions of families have on nursing personnel to control complex medical illness in schools.
Though required by law, Colin Ward argues that school nurses are still in need. He made the point that without this dedicated nurse, his son wouldn’t be able to go to school. He articulated the challenges principals face, mentioning that they often spend “a large part of their time managing crises.” These alarming statistics speak to the urgent need of appropriate medical care available on-site at schools, particularly those that serve our most vulnerable students.
Much overcrowding exacerbates the problem at specialized schools such as Hill Croft. Here, Roz McFeeters stands on the playground where she has worked for 16 years, the last six as principal. She pointed out that the majority of special schools are “massively over-subscribed.” This overcrowding continues to strain existing resources and staff. McFeeters cautioned that the current model won’t last with the widening gap in student needs.
Lesley Anderson spoke about the process of having to call ambulances so many times during Colin’s short school lifetime, each incident incurring a penalty. “We send him to school every day with the confidence that he will come home at three o’clock,” she said. “What I know is that there is a nurse there that will do their best if my son collapses or falls ill and they will inform an ambulance and us.”
Emma Morgan, Co-founder of SEN Reform NI, said such a move would be an absolute disgrace. She argued that such actions would be “taking away a child’s dignity and perhaps their right to life.” Morgan emphasized the need for stronger leadership to tackle these urgent issues. “It is not good enough that we are going to strip away the therapies and medical support for the most vulnerable children in our community,” she added.
Deputy Chairman Pat Sheehan of Sinn Féin highlighted significant issues with equality in the provision of critical services. In addition to nursing, the shortages affect other important areas including speech and language therapy and behavior therapy, he emphasized. Their complex needs could only be met through an integrated approach to education and health professions.
The Department of Health has been clear on their recognition of the issues faced in providing nursing staff to special schools. In a statement, they affirmed, “Our priority remains to ensure that all children have safe access to education, supported by the appropriate member of the multidisciplinary team – including nursing – to meet their healthcare needs.” They indicated that “the complexity of the review requires in-depth data gathering and stakeholder engagement, which is currently progressing.”
Currently, nursing staff working in special schools are employees of one of Northern Ireland’s five health trusts. This results in unequal access to this important level of support, as some areas are staffed with school nurses while others lack them altogether.
Colin Ward expressed concern over how these resource limitations affect students with medical needs, stating, “Because of the complex needs of pupils it would not be sustainable.” He elaborated on the challenges faced by teachers, noting, “We have multiple children in a class with medical needs and our staff teams are trying to manage and be aware of everyone’s issues and needs.”
Mr Ward welcomed Education Minister Paul Givan’s commitment to reforming special educational needs provision. He further pointed out that taking swift action is essential to address these significant staffing shortages and assure that all students have the mental health care they need.
