Last Updated: Wednesday, 30 January 2008 00:00

Survey shows new trends among children

The issues and challenges in Irish society show up first in our schools. 70% of principals see a real change in the profile of children in our primary schools according to a new survey released this week by the Irish Primary Principal's Network at their annual conference in Killarney.

Principals say that there is increasing evidence among children of attention disorders, family trauma, emotional disturbance, violent behaviours and depression.

"It is worrying that more and more children with serious emotional and behavioural needs are showing up and that these needs cannot be met by the system." said Larry Fleming, President of IPPN. "9 out of 10 principals see increased evidence of attention disorders, serious family issues and emotional disturbance in the children enrolled in their schools. Violent behaviour and depression figure in half of the responses."

Children and their needs do not always fit into the neat and restricted categories laid down by the Department of Education and Science special needs regulations. The model works very well for children with diagnosed learning needs and conditions that fit into the established categories. Learning support is available and resources can be given to the school to help that child.

"There are children, however, with emotional issues, violent or bullying behaviours and because they do not fit into any category of need, the school cannot even apply for resources to help them." said Mr. Fleming. "If a child's problems do not fit under the heading of learning difficulties, then the Special Education Needs Organiser will tell the school that nothing can be done and that the health services should be called. Then you are into waiting lists and, meanwhile, day by day, the class teacher and the school may have to cope with violent, threatening and bullying behaviour."

"I know one school where the principal has had to go to extreme lengths to get help for a child with violent behaviour. They have excluded the child from school because that is the only way that the other children can be protected and that proper support services will be put in place for the child and his family. As long as the child is in school, the Health Services say that the school needs to deal with the problem and the DES say that because the child's needs are not strictly learning needs, there are no additional resources available. Needs do not come in separate packages, they come with the child."

Principals are calling for a more holistic approach to children's needs and how those needs are catered for in school. "Principals and teachers are best placed to see the needs of a child at first-hand and to know what is required to support that child. We have to think of the other children also who may be seriously affected by the problems of one child. We need to be able to call on appropriate help and support directly no matter where that help comes from. Be it play therapy, family support, behaviour management, counselling, psychiatric services or more serious interventions."

End

Notes to editors:

In advance of their annual conference in Killarney NEC starting tomorrow, school principals were surveyed on the state of education in our primary schools. Almost a quarter (784) of all school principals (3,200) in the country responded. "This is a very high number of responses and gives a reliable insight from school leaders into what's happening on the ground in ours schools." said Larry Fleming, President of the Irish Primary Principal's Network.

Extract from the IPPN survey

Q. In my experience as Principal there is evidence of an increase in the following conditions among children enrolling in Primary School
Yes No
Emotional Disturbance 87.7% 12.3%
Attention Disorders 93.3% 6.7%
Depression 49.7% 50.3%
Violent Behaviours 55.9% 44.1%
Family Trauma 88.7% 11.3%