Special Needs Parents Association - Press Release

Thursday, 15 December 2011 00:00

Harsh reality hits families in receipt of Carers Allowance & Family Income Supplement (FIS)

Special Needs Parents Association have been in undated with frantic calls and letters from parents and family carers, desperately worried that their Family Income Supplement (FIS) is to be cut in January 2012, Following on from the recent Budget, it was announced that income from weekly Carers Benefit and Carers Allowance will be included when calculating entitlement to FIS.

Background: Family Income Supplement is a weekly payment available to employee's with children. In order to qualify for FIS, the net average weekly income must below a certain amount for a family size. Parent's working 19 or more hours per week (or 38 or more hours per fortnight) can combine weekly hours worked with spouse/civil partner/cohabitants to meet this condition. They cannot use time spent in self-employment to meet this condition.

FIS is calculated on the basis of 60% of the difference between the income limit for the family size and the assessable income of the person(s) raising the child(ren). The combined income of a couple (married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting) is taken into account. Income from any source is assessed as means however, though there are no rules excluding the assessment of capital, the Department of Social Protection generally does not assess capital or examine your bank account details for FIS.

Chairperson of the Special Needs Parents Association Lorraine Dempsey said "We are very concerned with this further financial burden for family carers, as this will result in more children with special needs and disabilities being pushed further below the poverty line". She added that "Family carers of children and young adults with disabilities who are in receipt of Carers Allowance or Carers Benefit who also get Family Income Support, do so because they are already classed as the lowest earners in the State and their monthly budget is heavily reliant on FIS to meet the shortfall in income". Vice Chairperson Patricia Houlihan who is dealing with the cases of terrified parents says that the reality for these families is that they will no longer be able to afford costly medicines, therapies for their children, mortgages, transport, all of these extra things that arise when parenting a child with a disability. The true cost of care is never taken into account and we cannot ask these families to tighten their belts and forgo paying for essential supports for their child that should be already provided by the HSE. Some of these families are facing a disproportionate drop in income once Carers Allowance is taken into account when calculating FIS from January 2012.

The Special Needs Parents Association is calling on the Government to halt the changes to the FIS Scheme until the implications for the minority of families in receipt of both FIS and Carers Allowance/Benefit is thoroughly examined and takes into account the extra financial responsibilities of raising a child with disabilities. It is a huge error to align the conditions for calculating Carers Allowance with FIS  in the same way as other social welfare payments, as these families are already at an unfortunate disadvantage where the carer in receipt of the allowance is not in a position to be in full-time employment or actively seek it and such families will be bound by this poverty trap that these new ill thought out budgetary changes have enforced.

When the Budget was announced, Minister Howlin said "I believe that we have a duty to protect the most vulnerable in society and to provide a safety net of social protection, in what are very extraordinary times".

For Further Information and Comment

Lorraine Dempsey Chairperson Special Needs Parents Association 087 7741917

Patricia Houlihan Vice Chairperson Special Needs Parents Association 087 0986019

Marian Frawley PRO Special Needs Parents Association 087 6833965

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For clarity, the following are excerpts from emails of parents who recently got in touch with us. This is reality on the ground.

"I am a Carer for my beautiful son who has Down Syndrome we have two
other children a 7 year old and a 11 week old baby. My partner is in
full time employment but its a low income.

We receive 190 euro per week FIS but now because of the measures taken
and the latest cuts we will be dropped down to 50 euro per week for us
that is a loss of 140 euro PER WEEK. People are crying out because of
the cut made to child benefit of 20 euro per month for the 3rd child.

We are in desperation as we will end up losing our home with in the
next few months because, it will either be feed the family or pay the
mortgage and the mortgage doesn't win.

Since we had our darling boy 3 years ago we have had to fight for
everything for him even a life saving heart operation which is one
thing you think would be written in stone but its not and we had to
fight tooth and nail to save our boy. And now here we are yet again
the most vulnerable been hit with this huge loss to our weekly income
having to fight for our God given right to provide our children with a
roof over their heads.

Did they make these changes not knowing the disastrous effects it
will have to people? or did they simply not care as i said we are the
most vulnerable minority with a very little voice.

If there is anything that can be done to reverse this heart breaking
cut please help us do it".

"My partner is a short time worker at a meat processing factory which
means he isn't guaranteed a full weeks work and claims FIS for my
youngest daughter. I am a carer for my son who has autism and a learning
disability. The means testing of carers will mean that we will not be
able to claim FIS which is by the way not a dole it is money my
partner claims on stamps he has paid ! We will be down around €80 per
week and that does not include the cut to esb units in home carers
package and whatever other cuts we have yet to find out about. This
money helps run the car to take my son to his health board centre and
to work experience as there is no transport provision also I gave up a
very well paid job to facilitate my sons care and without me doing so
I can guarantee you that he would have been in residential care at a
damn sight more cost to the Government than the €204 allowance they pay me
this is the only one the Government expects you to work for 24/7 !"

"My husband works and always has done. He works 35 hours per week, his
income is 282.50 from work.

He receives Family Income Supplement, I have two children with
disabilities, our oldest son, aged 20 also qualifies as he is in third
level. My husband’s FIS payment is 253.00.

I receive carer’s allowance of 335 euro per week. The whole of my
carer’s allowance goes to repay credit union loans that we took out to
build on a bedroom for our son who, even though he qualified for
Disabled persons grant, was refused and personal loans which we took
for therapy and intervention,the remainder pays ESB, Phone and VISA
card.

My son has autism, Dyspraxia and Sensory Integration disorder.
My oldest son has Dyspraxia and Sensory Integration Disorder, he is in
third level.
My daughter has Asperger’s Syndrome, Dyspraxia and Sensory Integration disorder.

We will not pretend that my children receive any therapies or
intervention from the HSE, they do not and never will. I have a letter
from Psychology HSE stating there is no service for him.

My daughter has been diagnosed with Asperger’s, privately, the
assessment cost 700 euro.

The children have on-going needs which we have provided for as best we
can. We have paid for private Psychology, Occupational Therapy,
Psychiatry assessments and reports over many years. Psychology
sessions cost 120 euro per hour. Because we provided privately what
has not been provided by the HSE and DES my children are in mainstream
school. My son will finally return to school in January with the
resources in place that he should have had all along.

Our mortgage is 160 euro per week.

Occupational Therapy which both children need and will be on-going is
90 euro each per session per week(180).

My daughter has significant needs which will be on-going. I have been
refused Domiciliary Care Allowance which would have helped toward the
cost of Occupational Therapy, I have appealed this but am sure my
daughter will again be denied.

Currently I have no oil to heat our home, I do not know where to turn. I cannot
see any way that we can provide a roof over the children’s heads and
provide their basic needs when the removal of FIS comes in to play. It
is removal of what to us is a significant portion of our income. We do
not live the high life in any way but only seek to continue to provide
what our children need, if there was any way that I
could leave Ireland I would but I can’t. My husband is 50 and I am 47.

I had hoped to up skill and re enter higher education when my children
started school but it was not to be. I have no regrets in anything I
have done for them and they are treasured and dearly loved by us both.

Why are my innocent children being punished in this manner? It is
stomach churning to watch the news and see the people that caused this
disgusting situation being “arrested by appointment”. Only in Ireland
would that be allowed to happen while children that are the most
vulnerable must pay for their crimes".

Special Needs Parents Association - Press Release

Tuesday, 22 November 2011 23:51

Department of Justice withdraws 2012 funding for People with Disabilities Ireland (PwDI)

The Executive of the Special Needs Parents Association was extremely shocked to learn that the Government have withdrawn funding for 2012 to support the work of People with Disabilities in Ireland (PwDI). The decision to withdraw funding came in the form of a short letter last Thursday from Minister Shatter's office and has left members reeling.

Background: People with Disabilities in Ireland (PWDI) is the only national cross disability organisation funded by the Government. PWDI aims to help all people with disabilities to take part in and influence the decision making process that impacts on their lives and opportunities. PWDI is for all people with disabilities,whether those disabilities are physical, sensory, intellectual or emotional/mental health and also welcomes the involvement of parents, carers, siblings, partners and disability groups. PwDI has a national network of local committees who raise and address local issues and organise events such as conferences and activities for members. It offers a bottom up model of giving members a louder voice to raise issues on a national stage. The PwDI Network has over 8,000 members, 26 local network committees across Ireland with many giving their time on a voluntary basis to build the organisation. The PwDI was funded by the Department of Justice and was established twelve years ago as a result of the Commission Report "A Strategy for Equality" that was instigated by a Labour led Government.

Chairperson of Special Needs Parents Association, Lorraine Dempsey described the decision as folly on the part of the Government and a retrograde step in Irish social policy. "This decision will plunge people with disabilities back into 1950's Ireland, where they had no voice, nor say in decisions made at both local and national levels and had little contact with each other". She added that "This move will not only affect PwDI, but a wider swathe of smaller disability groups who were helped by PwDI to host Conferences and events that were out of their reach as stand alone disability groups". She further added that, "This decision by the Department of Justice, will tear away at the fabric of support built up locally across Ireland particularly for adults with disabilities and their families and has little regard for the 8000 plus members".  PwDI had started a restructuring process that was resulting in a rejuvenation of the organisation and this process has now been cut short by Minister Shatter's decision.

The Special Needs Parents Assocaition is concerned that with the abolition of the PwDI network, people with disabilities will have their voices and opinions scattered and sidelined in an economic climate where those that need a higher level of State support and services and a mechanism to have their views considered when drafting Government policy, silenced at the stroke of a pen.

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For further information or comment contact:
Lorraine Dempsey Chairperson of Special Needs Parents Association 0877741917
James McClean  Chairperson of People with Disabilities in Ireland  0863445075
Marian Frawley PRO Special Needs Parents Association 0876833965

www.specialneedsparents.ie

www.pwdi.ie

Special Needs Parents Association Press Release 6th July 2011

Wednesday, 06 July 2011 15:36

National Demonstration against cuts in Special Education 3pm July 13th Leinster House, Kildare St.

Following on from recent local school protests, protests outside the Dail and meetings all over Ireland re special educational cuts, parents of children with special needs, educators, SNAs and supporters are invited to a gathering outside Leinster House at 3pm Wednesday 13th July for a family friendly National Demonstration, to coincide with the Dail Technical Group dedicating their Private Members time to the issue of changes and cuts in all areas of special educational resources, traveller resource supports, language supports and school transport.

The Special Needs Parents Association is deeply concerned that Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s view on the issue of SNA numbers stated last week in reply to a question by Deputy McGrath is that parents perceptions that there are cutbacks is unfounded and that every child who needs an SNA will have access. Lorraine Dempsey Spokesperson for the Association said that, “The reality is that some children have only been allowed access to a school environment during the times that an SNA will be available. An offer by a special school of one hour a day in school from September is technically ‘ access to education’ but is it not of any real benefit to a child nor the parent who is unemployable as a result of that child not being in school for the normal duration. Such cases highlight how it is the government and not the parents who are having difficulties between what they perceive to be happening and the reality of what is happening for some children.

The Special needs Parents Association is calling on all parents to attend the demonstration with their families and everyone working within the education system to show support for an issue that will at the end of the day, affect all children in a classroom setting.

Inclusion through education can only happen if the right supports are available to a child and a school and if those supports are lacking, coupled with increased class sizes, every child’s education will suffer as a result. Principals and teachers are already under enormous pressure to differentiate the curriculum for every child and manage with fewer resources overall, but this problem is compounded further when they have to accommodate the substantial learning needs of some children who now will have no SNA support in class due to new prioritisation of SNA resources by the Department of Education & Skills.

Chairperson Noel Cuddy stated that "We appreciate the economic circumstances that have led to the decisions made over previous months but is there any real economic savings to the State overall as the financial burden shifts from the Department of Education & Skills budget to the Department of Social Protection with the removal of 227 SNA posts". Over the lifetime of this government, we will see children struggling through our education system unnecessarily and when the country does recover from this recession; those children will continue to struggle as they move through the system onto adulthood. Irrespective of what increases in support that might arise in future years, the time between will be lost for thousands of children both with and without special educational needs.

The National Demonstration at 3pm called for by the Special Needs Parents Association has been endorsed by Inclusion Ireland, members of the Dail Technical Group, Special Needs Assistants and Parents Campaign (SNAP) and Impact SNA Section.

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For more information contact PRO & Spokesperson Lorraine Dempsey at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Phone 087 7741917

National Executive Committee

Special Needs Parents Association

www.specialneedsparents.ie

www.facebook.com/SpecialNeedsParentAssociation

Twitter@SpNeedsParents

PRO Twitter@SNPAPRO

Letter to Minister Quinn

Tuesday, 28 June 2011 15:42

21 June 2011

Dear Minister Quinn,

In reply to a question from Deputy Catherine Murphy TD in the Dail on 30^th March 2011, you asked for suggestions from parent representative organisations as to how the allocation of SNA resources for 2011/12 and going forward, can be best managed within the context of the overall limit on SNA numbers that has been established by the previous government.

Special Needs Parents Association recognises and appreciates the fiscal constraints that the government and country are under. It is with this in mind, that we are making the following suggestions. While we recognise the need to make do with the capped level of SNA’s, we are equally of the view that, to have any prospect of success in relation to the management of SNA resources, the NCSE and the schools must proactively involve parents as equal partners in all stages of that process. Without this early commitment the debate over the future management of SNA resources will remain fractious and unproductive.

In our experience, the main issues arise due to a breakdown in the channel of communications between the administrators of the Special Education system, the school and the parents. When parents make contact with the Special Needs Parents Association for advice on matters relating to the special educational supports, the majority of problems reported arise from one or more of the following situations:

• Miscommunication between school and parent.
• Misconceptions by parents as the to the role and responsibilities of and SNA (as evidenced in the VFM review on expenditure on the Special Needs Assistants scheme June 2011) and how they are allocated.
• Lack of direct oral and written communication between SENO’s and parents which disenfranchises parents (It is currently dependent on each individual SENO as to whether they engage directly with parents)

We are proposing the following series of changes that we feel will not put any further financial strain on the DES, but rather make the processes more efficient.

The NCSE, DES, HSE, Citizens Information Bureau and the Special Needs Parents Association jointly hosting a series of nationwide information days for parents and educators to overcome the common issues that creates the most frustration for parents. We have identified the following key areas as being the route cause for many of the queries and complaints that the Association receives which would provide a framework.

1. Clarify the obligations of parents and schools to satisfy the requirements of the NCSE and DES in order to provide appropriate supports for children with special needs.
2. Clarify the role and responsibilities of an SNA for both parents and educators.
3. Clarify the role and responsibilities of a SENO and the processes involved in reviews and allocations of resources.
4. Inform parents of the different processes of allocations in mainstream schools, special schools and ASD Units.
5. A requirement on the schools to copy all communication’s from the NCSE and the school to the parents of the child concerned.
6. An independent appeals process that does not have to go through the school. It is not acceptable that the main stakeholders are not able to make an appeal directly to the NCSE. It is a serious legal flaw in the operations of the NCSE and we feel could lead to serious ramifications for the NCSE and the DES if they were found in court to have been negligent, in the way that they provided leave to appeal for a child with special needs and their parents.
7. Better communications between the NCSE and the parents concerned.

The Special Needs Parents Association is committed to liasing between government bodies and parents of children with special needs, to provide solution based strategies to maximise the efficiencies of resources currently allocated by the NCSE, within the confines of the current cap of 10575 SNAs. Having previously identified the system failures to the previous government and Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills on several occasions, we are eager to move forward with our proposals to address the areas indicated, which we believe will ameliorate many of the issues that parents of children with special needs have highlighted when they seek support and advice from the Special Needs Parents Association.

Regards

Noel Cuddy

Chairperson

Press Media Contact Details

Tuesday, 21 June 2011 20:19

Should you wish to contact our PRO Lorraine Dempsey, please contact her at email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or on twitter: @SNPAPRO