Inclusion in education and a Resource Centre
Inclusion in education and the educational support for persons on the autism spectrum were issues recently in the media, with concerns having been raised.
MaltaCAN, a voluntary organisation made up of 14 independent organisations, said that it was deeply troubled by the escalating segregation of children on the autism spectrum in Malta. “There is a disturbing trend of pushing children on the autism spectrum away from mainstream education, limiting their opportunities for inclusive learning experiences”, MaltaCAN said. It said that it believes that certain actions by unions coupled with school policies are exacerbating the problem.
It also said later in its statement that it was made aware that several children on the spectrum were currently not attending school or were being actively pushed out of their school. It said that it is speaking out after receiving several reports from parents and encountering these problems firsthand.
MaltaCAN made an urgent appeal to education authorities, policymakers, stakeholders and unions to reconsider current practices and policies “contributing to the segregation of children on the autism spectrum”.
Factors leading to the exclusion of persons with autism from mainstream schooling must be addressed, and solutions must be found. If a student is able to remain in mainstream schooling, then all efforts should be made to ensure that.
But there is another situation. A number of parents who send their children to a specialized centre have raised concerns about the situation there. The Malta Independent on Sunday had spoken to a number of parents of students who attend the Guardian Angel Resource Centre in Ħamrun, who highlighted the lack of resources at the school. The centre caters for children with severe learning difficulties.
Parents mentioned the lack of LSEs, saying that children who were meant to have one LSE with them as according to the Statementing Board, were placed in classes where instead there were three LSEs for 8 children, arguing that this was a problem. They also highlighted other issues, saying there was no behavioural therapist, no fulltime speech therapist, no teacher for the music room, as amongst other things.
Meanwhile, the Education Ministry tried to fend off criticism, saying that the centre maintains “a full complement of Learning Support Educators (LSEs) and educators for its 88 students as per collective agreement”. It also said that the student-toLSE ratio, with a maximum of eight students per class accompanied by three LSEs and an educator, “reflects a nurturing and attentive educational environment. Parents are informed that this specialised setting, which differs from mainstream systems, is tailored to the unique context of the school and its students, a system which has been in place for years”. It also said that educators and LSEs receive ongoing training from professionals like behaviour therapists and occupational therapists, ensuring that they are well-equipped to support children with severe disabilities.
But if parents are so concerned about the situation, then clearly improvements are needed.
This is not to mention an ongoing investigation regarding alleged abuse – The Times of Malta had published an article revealing that the police are investigating allegations of physical abuse by three educators a year earlier on students who had attended the centre. One hopes that the investigation will conclude quickly, and if any wrongdoing is found the situation must be rectified and justice will be served.
The Government must work to address concerns of exclusion from mainstream education that have been raised, while at the same time ensure that specialised centres like the aforementioned have all the resources they need to ensure that children who have no other option but to attend, are given the maximum support necessary. If that means having to change certain policies that are in place and increase the number of LSEs, then it should do so. If there is a lack of LSEs in general, then more needs to be done to attract people to the sector.