Co Armagh mum fears for son's future over lack of SEN placements
Good morning. We’re at the end of another uneventful week 🫢
The sporting success kept rolling in as Daniel Wiffen – the self-proclaimed Armagh man (so says his dad anyway and if his dad says it, who are we to argue) – taking a glittering gold in the pool. And there may be more to come.
And Banbridge rower Philip Doyle took bronze on Thursday in what is turning out to be pretty successful games.
Meanwhile, we’re leading this morning’s newsletter with an interview with Jacqueline Carroll, from Killeavy, who says her 11-year-old son Patrick is still waiting to find out what school he will be attending in September – just weeks out from the start of the new school year.
Patrick is autistic, non-verbal and has severe learning difficulties but he is, more than likely, going to miss out on a Special Educational Needs (SEN) placement. It’s more than likely going to be a placement in a mainstream school but even, at this late stage, has not been decided.
The pressure, Jacqueline says, is weighing quite heavily on their family, and in particular, Patrick, who lives by a routine.
"It's just a nightmare because we're getting nowhere. The EA cannot offer us a place. We're getting passed from one person to the next. We just don't know what's happening.
"I have a feeling they're going to just randomly pick any kind of secondary school that can squeeze Patrick in, just for the sake of ticking him off, but even at this stage they haven't even done that."
Jacqueline is adamant Patrick would not be fit to cope in a mainstream high school.
"It just will not work. Patrick has severe needs and is non-verbal. For the last two years of primary school, he had two assistants and that was in a small setting. To go from class to class in a secondary setting just will not work for him."
Jacqueline says Patrick has been let down by the Education Authority.
"It has been horrendous at times, his time in primary school. I kept a diary and he was down to two hours a day. It took me 20 minutes to drive him there. I hadn't even got back home to the house, after dropping him into school, and I'd have a phone call to come and pick him up.
"Like that is literally how we've lived the past two years, not knowing whether he was going to have a good day, or if the school were going to be able to cope. I couldn't plan or do anything." Read the full story here.
Headlines
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👍 Major street facelift for Markethill
🟢 Green light for Portadown Integrated PS new build
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🚜 Diggers begin clearing site for new drive-thru next to Asda in Portadown
🙅♂️ Permission for four new homes granted in Charlemont despite pet food firm’s objections
🚔 Woman ‘extremely distressed’ after sexual assault by hooded man in Craigavon
⚖️ Markethill man who phoned police to say he was going to petrol bomb neighbours is jailed
🚂 Plans to reinstate Portadown to Armagh railway fast-tracked in final All-Island rail review report
🚨 Portadown security alert declared a hoax
🙏 Trustees confident that shelving of Kilmore Cottage plans is ‘temporary set back’
🪧 Industrial action in Armagh to continue until end of summer
🚓 PSNI failed to photograph Katie Simpson’s shocking injuries at hospital
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Armagh Jobs
We have more new job openings on armaghjobs.com. Check them out below.
🆕 RSC Group require Class 2 HGV Drivers across Northern Ireland.
🆕 Super Seal Windows require a Paint Sprayer for Lurgan branch.
🆕 Loughran Rock Industries require HGV Drivers, Digger Drivers and a Quarry Worker / Yard Operative.
🆕 McMullan Fuels LTD Moy require a Class 2 Oil Tanker Driver.
✅ Linwoods Armagh require Electrical / Maintenance Technician.
✅ Keegan’s Bar and Restaurant Armagh require Chefs of all levels and Kitchen Staff.
✅ ROCO9 require a Digital Marketing Manger, Junior Accounts Administrator and Lead Mechanical Design Engineer for their site in Crossmaglen.
✅ Re-Gen Group Newry are recruiting for a Finance Business Partner.
✅ Redrock Machinery are currently searching for a Receptionist.
✅ Armagh City Hotel require a Banqueting Waiter/Waitress and Bar Staff.
✅ Mount Charles have a number of full time roles across Armagh and beyond.
🆕 Linwoods Armagh require Accounts / Administration Assistant (Maternity leave cover).
✅ Keegan’s Bar and Restaurant Armagh require Bar and Floor Staff, Chefs of all levels and Kitchen Staff.
✅ Mount Charles require Cleaning Operatives and Catering Assistants.
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