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Under-resourcing risks the future of inclusivity

Children with special educational needs risk being ostracised by the very system intended to ensure their inclusivity, a major conference of teachers has heard.

Stephen McCord, president of the Ulster Teachers' Union, made the claim during the union's annual conference in newcastle, Co down.

Mr McCord told delegates that it was right that school communities were inclusive and that children with special educational needs (Sen) should be educated in the "so-called mainstream sector". He added that this should not come at any cost, either to them or to other pupils.

The reality was, he said, that teachers were seeing a growing number of violent incidents in the classroom.

This was due to children, whose very particular needs were not being met, becoming frustrated, which was endangering the safety of other pupils.

Without a major intervention, Mr McCord said, there was a risk that a child or teacher could be seriously injured "and then it will be too late".

"We risk these children becoming ostracised as problem children. The outcome will be the very antithesis of what was intended by the policy of inclusivity," he said.

"We believe we are seeing a growing number of these types of incidents because of under-resourcing in the classroom.

"As more pupils with special educational needs enter the mainstream sector, those schools and their teachers are not receiving the funding, training or support to cope."

Mr McCord spoke of one incident where a P2 child assaulted three members of staff, including the principal.

"The teacher concerned had to move the remainder of the class to the corridor for their own safety until the child calmed down," he said.

"The needs and rights of both the Sen child and the rest of the pupils are being compromised; it's fair on neither and it isn't fair on the teachers who are trying to maximise every child's potential. Something has to give.

"Of course we must have equity throughout the educational system, but that costs. The support must be in place if a child with special educational needs is to flourish in the mainstream."

Teachers needed training in how best to provide for their needs, "and training costs money", the conference heard.

"The child may also need extra support from a classroom assistant - yet we're seeing falling budgets," Mr McCord added.

"These are among our most vulnerable children. They deserve the best."