Special care unit relocation leaves parents worried for their children's vital services

The mother of a Kilskyre teenager with complex needs says she fears the relocation of a special care unit and axing of a number of vital care staff could jeopardise the service her daughter attends.

Parents were informed last week that the Special Care Unit in the Bailis Resource Centre in Johnstown, Navan would be closing and relocating to the new St Mary's School campus due to open in September. The specialised unit that cares for children with profound physical and intellectual disabilities has been linked with the education facility since its formation in 2005.

The HSE-led unit currently has three nurses and eight care staff to care for nine children currently enrolled in the service that has a capacity for 12.

It has been confirmed to Meath Chronicle by the HSE that two large classrooms will be allocated in the new school to facilitate the children enrolled in the SCU part of St Mary's Special School. The new staffing ratio for each classroom will be one teacher to six children, two SNA's and one nurse. The HSE says it has approved funding to provide three “Whole Time Equivalent nurses” to the school.

It is understood that the eight care assistants will not be relocated to the new campus and will be instead dispersed to other units within the HSE.

Ruth Lalor says she is concerned that her 13-year-old daughter, Chloe who has cerebral palsy will not receive the same level of care in the new facility as a result.

“I'm seriously concerned for Chloe and the other children if this system, goes ahead in September,” said Ruth.

“Chloe has two care attendees and one nurse assigned to her in a day and I have been informed that there is going to be no care attendees in the new building,” she added.

“What happens if Chloe starts having a seizure and another child starts having a seizure? Somebody could die out of this.”

The Kilskyre mum believes the unit in the Bailis Resource Centre should be used to its full potential rather than being shut down.

“This is a whole ground floor building with a sensory room, a changing room, shower facilities, physio soft room and a sensory garden all adapted to suit the care of children with special needs and instead of utilising it, they are closing it down,” Ruth pointed out.

“I have no doubt that SNA's are fantastic at what they do but they work in an education capacity, they don’t change the children, they don’t provide physio, medical care or peg feeds for nil by mouths.”

Ruth says trying to access supports for Chloe has been a “constant battle” since day one.

“Chloe is profoundly disabled, she has hearing and visual issues, she has cerebral palsy and she cannot walk.

“We were told she had four weeks to live when she was born and I had no idea when I was pregnant that anything was wrong.

“The Jack and Jill Foundation was fantastic until Chloe was four and my experiences since then trying to get her into the Special Care Unit along with other issues along the way has just been an absolute nightmare.”

Chris Herdman whose daughter, Aideen attended the SCU for 14 years prior to her sadly passing away last Christmas aged 17 says the closure of the facility is “devastating.”

Not only did the unit gave Chris and his wife Sheona some respite but also provided a safe and caring environment for Aideen who had a life-limiting condition.

“It breaks my heart to think that the one-on-one care Aideen got in the special care unit which was second to none could be under threat for other children,” said Chris.

“Aideen is not with us anymore but I still felt compelled to speak out about something that is very close to my heart.

“I believe all of the care staff need to stay, the children need them, the other staff need them.”

There is much concern for the new model going forward according to a source close to staff members who said:

“The care staff carry out the majority of the care needs, feeding, changing, standers, physio programmes, OT programmes.

“Nurses carry out peg feeds and administer medication and oxygen in the case of a seizure.

“SNA's are solely focused on education. They have two totally different job descriptions.”

The source pointed out that a lot of the children currently attending the SCU came there from St Mary's School due to their needs becoming more complex and being no longer able for the school environment.

“Children have high complex needs and some of them are receiving palliative care.

“They are cared for on demand in this specialised unit, the worry is this care will not be matched in the new building.”

A spokesperson for the HSE said:

“The SCU is not closing it is relocating to the new school building at St Mary's Special School campus. It was always the intention that the Special Care Unit would relocate to the new school building so these children can attend their educational placement along with their peers.

“The HSE have reviewed the job description for SNAs and are happy that it meets the criteria required to ensure that the current level of specialist support will be maintained.

“The HSE are currently working in collaboration with the school principal and board of management in developing a Memorandum of Understanding.”

A spokesperson for St Mary's Special School said:

“The opening of our new school is going to be a joyous occasion with all of the children under the same roof. We are excited that our students are going to be able to access their education with the learning support and medical support that they so badly require because they have a right to be educated full time.”

“The well being and care of the students is our number one priority.”