Lewis Rock, who will turn seven later this year, should be at school.
Instead, he is at home each day where his mother tries to teach him and hopes he will get a school place next September.
“For the past two years, we haven’t been able to get any education for him,” his mother, Jasmine Graham, from Stoneybatter in Dublin, said.
“We keep getting refusal after refusal due to schools being oversubscribed. Last year, we applied to over 15 schools. This year, we’ve applied to 11. He’s on endless waiting lists for everything.”
Boosting grants instead of cutting college fees could be fairer way to support students - Minister
‘These children are being denied their constitutional rights’: Parents hold Dáil sleepout over lack of school places
‘Punch to the gut’: Students condemn potential €1,000 rise in third-level fees
More than half of all third-level students could face an increase of up to €1000 in college fees this year
She was one of dozens of parents and supporters who gathered outside Leinster House on Wednesday – also World Autism Day – as part of a 24-hour sleep-out aimed at drawing attention to shortages of school places for children with special needs.
It was the second protest of its type in recent weeks, organised by the parent-led campaign group Equality in Education.
The group, which represents 200 parents of children with additional needs, said authorities do not have an official figure of children without school places.
Minister for Education Helen McEntee said on Wednesday that the Government is “fully committed to supporting autistic children and young people, as well as their families and school community”.
She confirmed 369 new special education classes have been sanctioned and education authorities are working to ensure they are ready for September.
In addition, five new special schools are progressing towards opening in the coming school year in Dublin, Cork, Monaghan and Tipperary.
“As Minister for Education, enabling children with special education needs to receive an education is a top priority of mine in my new role,” she said.
“Bringing more special education classes on stream is vitally important for those children and students with complex needs.”
Ms McEntee thanked schools for engaging with the National Council for Special Education but said she will “not hesitate” to use statutory powers to compel schools to open any of the remaining classes if required.
Autism charity AsIAm said poor planning and data collection was contributing to families having to fight for places and sleep out in order to help secure their constitutional rights.
[ ‘Punch to the gut’: Students condemn potential €1,000 rise in third-level feesOpens in new window ]
Adam Harris, the charity’s chief executive, said its annual report captured the experiences of more than 1,400 autistic people and their families. It revealed ongoing exclusion and systemic failures across education and other areas, he said.
“It shows that 27 per cent of children documented in the report do not have an appropriate school place. That is children out of school entirely in placements that don’t align with their psychological reports’ recommendations or travelling long distances to access school. This really needs to end.”
Mr Harris also said 70 per cent of respondents felt the education system was not inclusive, while a similar proportion of children were not currently receiving therapeutic supports from their local HSE office.
Ms Graham, meanwhile, said her son faces challenges but has huge potential and would flourish with access to an appropriate education.
“He is a beautiful child. He is so funny, clever and highly intelligent. He know big numbers. He can tell you every planet in the solar system. He loves numbers, colours, the planets – anything with a pattern or sequence. He is really, really bright,” said Ms Graham, adding that she gave up her job and set up a home school to teach him for the last two years.
“Imagine, with the right school placement, how much he would thrive. These children are the future, and they’re being denied their constitutional rights.”
