Parents of children with special educational needs in Northern Ireland are expressing concern as schools plan to close for eight days due to upcoming strikes by support staff, including bus drivers, canteen workers, and classroom assistants. The strikes are part of an ongoing pay dispute affecting public sector workers, with tens of thousands set to participate in a strike billed as the biggest in Northern Ireland’s history. Parents argue that these strikes disproportionately impact vulnerable children with special needs, disrupting their routines and creating challenges for families trying to manage care responsibilities. The union involved, Unite, stated that special dispensation for schools like Glenveagh would need to be requested by the Education Authority. The pay issue has led to various strikes across different sectors, with calls for fair pay negotiations in Northern Ireland. The government, however, asserts that negotiating public sector pay is within the purview of relevant Northern Ireland departments, not the central government.
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Families of special needs children in Northern Ireland express worry over upcoming strikes affecting school closures. The ongoing pay dispute poses challenges for vulnerable children and demands fair negotiations
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It is terrible on top of the daily struggles families with kids with special needs struggle with this.
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this is so disheartening
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