Education - Home Schooling & Home Tuition
Unsuitable educational demands on children and adolescents with ME and Severe ME are a key cause of relapse
Children and adolescents with ME are made more sick and achieve nothing when forced to attend school. Home education is available for those too ill to attend school but not generally suitable for the severe/very severe child or adolescent, who make a better recovery if education is postponed until stabilisation of the illness.
A modified timetable might be possible for some children who are able to attend school for a couple of hours or for a shorter time to continue participation in selected school activities and to take exams sequentially over longer periods.
School withdrawal may be best for those not able for school and education can take place at home. There is, however, no evidence that young people educated this way fare worse than in conventional school classes, while many sufferers achieve better results in the absence of school stress and repeated exposure to infection.
Education at Home
We know of some individuals in our ME Community who are being or have
been Home Schooled, or who are receiving/have received Home Tuition, who have
described the ups and downs. We know that it is not always easy and can be very
difficult for some, especially those in the Severe/Very Severe category, but it
can be the type of education that works for people with ME who are too unwell
to attend school at times or in severe cases too unwell to ever attend school.
Parents in Ireland have a constitutional right to educate
their children at home, and you do not need to have a formal teaching
qualification. You don't need to follow the national curriculum (though some
parents choose to do so), though you must ensure that your child receives a
‘certain minimum education, moral, intellectual and social’ (Article 42.3.2
4.3.2.)
See Article 42 of the Constitution for all here and here
Children with ME need contact with a teacher as much as any other
child, but many are not able to attend school for long periods. The answer is
to bring the teacher to them if they are able for it. It is important not to push a child through illness for the sake of ensuring education, a child may only be able for short periods of education or none at all.
Home Tuition and
Home Schooling
Not all tutors understand the illness and frequently, lessons have to be cancelled when the child is not up to studying. Not all children are well enough to have someone tutor them.
Home Tuition
The purpose of the Home Tuition Scheme is to provide a
compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such
as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme also provides a
compensatory educational service for children with special educational needs
seeking an educational placement.
Home Tuition is a type of home education that can be set up when your child is registered with a school
but because of illness or other reasons they are unable to attend school.
Home Tuition comes under the Department of Education, and
they pay the Tutors who come out to the child at home.
Children are entitled to a certain number of hours tuition
per week. Some children may be able to do only portions of that time due to
being too unwell and suffering from PENE (also referred to as PEM), and in some cases a child may not
be able to attempt any tuition because of illness severity.
See more here
How to Apply
Please read Circular 0044/2020 Home Tuition Grant Scheme
2022/2023 – Special Education Component, for information on this Scheme and
details of eligibility criteria here
Application Forms -
HTMED1: Application for home tuition for pupils with a
significant medical condition 2022/2023 here
Contact Details:
Address: Special Education Section, Department of Education
& Skills, Cornamaddy, Athlone, County Westmeath. N37 X659
Email: special_education@education.gov.ie
Phone: (090) 648 4187
Parents and Learners Unit – Home Tuition Section
Address: Parents and Learners Unit – Home Tuition Section,
Department of Education and Skills , Cornamaddy, Atlone , County Westmeath ,
N37 X659
Email: hometuitionapprovals@education.gov.ie
Phone number: 090 648 4099
The parent/legal guardian who has made application for home
tuition must complete a Payment Claim Form. This form must be completed and
signed by both the parent/legal guardian and the tutor. See more details re the
payment claim form here
According to a parent we spoke to, the Home Tuition
application process is time consuming and a GP needs to sign part of the
application form. From a parent's point of view the parent we spoke to found
the Home Tuition Section very good to deal with.
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| Image by Tymes Trust (UK) |
Home Schooling
Home Schooling is when a child is educated at home rather
than school and the child has never been registered or is no longer registered
with a school – it is a constitutional right of parents enshrined in law under
the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000.
If you wish to try home schooling in Ireland the first thing
to do is register with Education Welfare Services, part of TUSLA online here or phone: 01 771 8638
https://www.tusla.ie/
More here which includes information on registration,
assessment, interview, appeals, state exams etc from Citizens Information
This needs to be done when the child turns six*, or you remove
them from school, whichever applies. The board then organises a meeting/phone
call to go through the formalities of registering your child as home schooled.
*In 2000, the Irish Government brought in a system of
registration for home educated children aged six to sixteen, with teenagers
usually staying on the register until they reach eighteen.
Supports
There is plenty of help, support and advice available to anyone home schooling – or just considering it.
Home Education Network (HEN)
More information is available from Home Education Network
Ireland (HEN), a peer-to-peer support group for those home educating or
thinking of the option. It operates a phone line and hosts meet-ups. "Home
education is a positive option for many families who find that school does not
meet their children's needs,” says Cora McCauley, HEN PRO. “It is perfectly
legal and is protected under the Constitution. Children must be registered with
Tusla.
See link to HEN here: - https://www.henireland.org/
Facebook
The Homeschoolers Ireland Facebook group is reportedly a
good one. This private group is for parents who are Home Educating in Ireland
Only. See here
Private FB group for parents and caregivers to share
home schooling tips and techniques is available here
The Home Schoolers Ireland page is a public page which aims to
provide parents with information regarding Home Education in Ireland. That page is available via this link
Tymes Trust (UK), the only national ME charity dedicated to children and young people with ME and their families in the UK has a facebook page, link here
Educational Resources
curriculumonline.ie
folens.ie
outschool.com
Family Learning Hub here
Registration with Tulsa for Home
Schooling
This needs to be done when the child turns six, or you
remove them from school, whichever applies. The board then organises a
meeting/phone call to go through the formalities of registering your child as
home schooled.
The Education Welfare Services board ensures that you have
given thought to all aspects of your child’s education – moral, physical,
religious, social and intellectual – and also that you physically have an area
for your child to learn (well-lit, well-ventilated, warm and comfortable), and
a space where artwork can be displayed.
Information on what is expected from you will also be
imparted during the meeting as well as other useful information – such as, if
your child ever enters mainstream school in Ireland, they will not be entitled
to an exemption from Irish. In addition, both parents (even if you are
separated or divorced) may be asked to confirm that they are happy for the
child to be home-schooled. None of this process involves interviewing or
testing your child.
TUSLA will then make a decision on your suitability to home
school and you will be informed of that decision in writing. If your child has
a school place, it will be held for them until this decision is confirmed,
although they will not be on the registration list and thus will not be marked
as absent for not attending.
*There was a backlog in people applying during the covid
pandemic, with some prospective home schoolers reporting a 12 to 18 month wait
between the initial contact and the meeting/phone call. This may no longer be
the case, however, once you make initial contact and applied stating your
intentions, you are covered to start home schooling. So, you do not need to
wait for final approval to begin.
Tymes Trust (UK) (tymestrust.org)
Tymes Trust, the only national ME charity dedicated to children and young people with ME and their families in the UK, has some excellent areas on their website with regards to issues children and parents have with home schooling and having their children out of school for long periods because of illness with ME, including problems with schools making judgements on long term sickness abscence, Child Protection Issues and other useful documents for children/adolescents which could be adapted for use. See link to publications here
Personal Stories re Home Education
An inspiring piece from a 14-year-old with ME re Home Schooling & Education from Physios for ME via this link
Another blog piece from Physios for ME featuring a young person with ME. Sian is 15 years old and shares some excellent advice here
Disclaimer: The information in this post is for general information purposes only. While we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the post or the information, products, services, etc contained in the post for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.The suitability of any solution is totally dependent on the individual. It is strongly recommended to seek professional advice and assistance.
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