The AON Debacle and what it tells us

In this episode I cover the controversial Assessment of Need (AON) process which, to me, shows how the power of silence, supported by the illusion of partnership that representative bodies find themselves, brought us to a place where schools were forced to get the NCSE and the State out of a legal pickle.

This episode gives a single point in the scandal, which gives an example of how the State, supported by the corroboration of representative bodies and stakeholders, and with the silence of those in the service, ensures that services to children with additional needs continues to decline

Shownotes and Links:

01:45 The Assessment of Need Debacle

05:03 Schools' Struggles and NCSE's Response

10:21 Union Involvement and Teacher Reactions

12:39 Media Coverage and Public Outcry

21:07 The Aftermath and Lessons Learned

Dara Calleary Speech: https://twitter.com/Donnchadhol/status/1585234176412114945?t=8Fy3OyCIO9BCES035H7ygQ&s=19

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Episode 3: Those with the greatest needs

The episode examines the troubling history of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and its policies, including the controversial cuts to resources and the implementation of flawed allocation models. I discuss the systematic mistreatment and exclusion of special needs children, likening it to past societal scandals.

The episode dives into statistical discrepancies and the significant hardships faced by parents and schools, questioning the integrity and effectiveness of the NCSE and related political decisions.

At the end, I call on anyone working in the NCSE, especially SENOs to tell their story. Let's hope they do.

• 00:43 The NCSE's Role and Controversial Actions
• 05:21 Challenges Faced by Parents and Schools
• 14:43 The Set Allocation Model and Its Flaws
• 27:51 The SNA Toolkit and Its Implications
• 32:24 Conclusion and Call for Stories

Episode 2: Soft Barriers

In this episode I explore the role of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), a quango responsible for organising resources for special education. I trace the NCSE's establishment in 2003 and its subsequent decline in effectiveness, particularly since the detrimental effects of budget cuts since 2008. The NCSE's lack of adequate support, arbitrary allocation of resources, and controversial response to government cuts are all scrutinised. I argue that despite the increasing number of children with special needs, support has been reduced, leading to a progressively worse situation for these children. And when schools spoke out against the cuts, it was the NCSE, not the government that said schools were putting in soft barriers to stop children accessing support.