A DERRY college is one of three schools in the North of Ireland which has settled claims against them and offered apologies after it refused to accept a disabled child as a pupil.
The case was brought against St Brigid’s College situated on Glengalliagh Road.
It came after the college refused to take the 11-year-old despite it being identified as a suitable school for him by the Education Authority.
The boy has an autistic spectrum disorder which has an adverse effect on his ability to learn, concentrate or understand.
He was refused a place by St Brigid’s, despite being a pupil at a linked primary school.
The college stated that it “was not in a position to provide post-primary education” for him.
That position was maintained even after the Education Authority wrote to and met with the school suggesting how the child’s needs could be accommodated and detailing the availability of a classroom assistant and other support through the Education Authority’s Behaviour Support Team.
The child was eventually located at another school.
The family of the young were supported by the Equality Commission.
Dr Michael Wardlow, Chief Executive of the Equality Commission said: “These are children who have enough barriers facing them in life.
“They don’t need the additional barriers than can be thrown up when schools decide that their needs cannot be accommodated.”
He added: “We have identified a lack of appropriate support during the transition between primary and secondary levels of education as one of the barriers confronting disabled children.
“It is fundamentally linked to better life chances and better employment chances for every young person with a disability.”
He added: “There is a lesson from these cases for every school.
“When a disabled child applies for a place, they should proactively give proper consideration to how they can adapt to meet the needs of that pupil.”
In the settlement, St Brigid’s agreed to work with the Equality Commission and to train their staff to make sure their procedures and policies conform to the law.