Summer Schemes Cancelled for Special Schools in NI

0:00On March 26, summer schemes at special schools across Northern Ireland are canceled this year over worries about health care for the kids involved. The education authority pushed hard to make them happen, talking repeatedly with the Department of Health. They stress the need for nurses on-site to keep things safe, but the health department said that support just isn't there. This move comes down to safety alone, and it's hitting family's hard. Officials know it'll upset children and parents who are counting on these programs, especially with the health department. Especially with the health service already stretched thin. The authority gets the bigger picture too, pointing out that special schools need steady nurse coverage all year round, not just in summer. Without it, even regular term time care feels risky amid kids growing health needs. They plan to keep working on fixes for health care in these schools, hoping to avoid repeats down the line and protect these vulnerable students, better.