A parent has spoken out about the impact school strikes have had on her son and the wider family.
Johanne Meredith's 12-year-old son Charlie is one of 190 pupils aged eight to 19-years-old with learning difficulties attending Glenveagh School in Belfast.
The Unite Union, which represents classroom assistants, was due to end its strike over pay disputes on Monday but the Education Authority has confirmed a further period of action will start on May 11 until June 1.
Read more: NI schools to face further disruption due to strikes next week
Although supporting the strike action, Johanne told Belfast Live that more has to be done to protect children who are missing out.
She said: "I fully support the classroom assistants strike because their pay is unbelievably low given the amount of work they do.
"My child has Down's Syndrome and needs pretty much 24/7 care and support. He's independent in some things but he has no awareness to danger - he just needs that support.
"Those classroom assistants are like gold dust, they do everything from personal care, they manage very challenging behaviours, and they're not getting enough credit for it. But the EA are just ignoring all that, and the people suffering are the parents and the children."
There are 39 special schools in Northern Ireland and Charlie's school is the only one which has not opened its doors to pupils.
Johanne said they have been off for a week in March, and two weeks following the Easter break.
She added: "Nothing beats one-to-one teaching at these schools. It's the emotional and psychological support, it's feeling part of a group, it's the children's routine and everything to them."
When Johanne approached the Education Authority with questions about free school meals during strike action, she claims she was ignored, but that the EA responded to a question from her MLA.
"They said they had no obligation to provide free school meals to the children during a strike, only during the pandemic," Johanne continued.
"During the pandemic, they would have had payment in lieu because these are kids from disadvantaged backgrounds and normally their only hot meal of the day is at the school when they get their free school meal.
"Given this strike is due to go on indefinitely, there's a lot of children being severely disadvantaged here. Thankfully I'm not in that situation, but I'll have to start taking unpaid leave from work if this continues."
She said the communication and response from the Education Authority throughout the strike period has been "terrible."
Johanne added: "The EA's attitude was terrible, saying they have no obligation. I feel they have to start forward planning as the children have already lost three weeks of schooling, and the EA seem in no rush to fix this problem.
"They said they were putting in mitigations and doing all they can, but I can't see how as the children haven't been offered alternative education."
Northern Ireland's Commisioner for Children and Young People, Koulla Yiasouma, said the current position in the further loss of education and services for children with special needs is "untenable."
She said: “Special Schools provide education but also essential therapeutic and health care services and these were lost to many children and families.
"It is, therefore, disappointing and concerning that it is these very same children, particularly those at Glenveagh Special School, who are most severely affected by this industrial action.
“I do not question a worker’s right to strike, especially when we consider the impact of the rising cost of living on so many families. However, I urge both sides to make special considerations for children and young people and come to an immediate resolution so that children can enjoy their right to a full education and to health care.”
A spokesperson for the Education Authority said: “The Education Authority has received further notification from Unite the Union of a further period of Industrial action from 11 May to 1 June.
“We are very conscious of the real impact that the ongoing strike is having on children and young people, particularly at Glenveagh School which has had to move to remote learning as a result of the industrial action.
“We are in daily contact with the school and have been exploring all possibilities to try and facilitate at least some face to face learning for children and young people.
“However, this has proven very challenging as the vast majority of Classroom Assistants at Glenveagh are taking part in the strike action, leaving less than five Classroom Assistants at the school. Given the pupil to Classroom Assistant ratio, the option of some part-time learning for any young people has not been a possibility to date as very specialist and complex care could not be provided safely."
The Education Authority also confirmed they're continuing to explore options around the provision of free school meals for pupils learning remotely.
“We would also ask Unite to reconsider our requests for exemptions for staff supporting Special School services which are valid, reasonable and would help protect our most vulnerable children.
“The ongoing industrial action by Unite the Union relates to the agreed 2021/22 NJC pay award which EA does not have the power or authority to renegotiate.
“This is because NJC pay is negotiated and agreed nationally under agreed collective bargaining arrangements that includes 3 Trade Unions, including Unite. Local Government organisations, including EA, then implement the pay award that is agreed.
“However, national negotiations for the 2022/23 Pay Award are about to begin and this is an opportunity to influence the future pay award and make a real difference. We would again encourage Unite to actively engage in these negotiations in a constructive and meaningful way.
“We very much value all of our staff and are committed to advocating for a fair pay offer in the 2022/23 national NJC negotiations to reflect the rising prices and pressures workers and families are facing during these very challenging times.
“Additionally, we are firmly committed to continuing to engage collectively with all of our Trade Unions on local issues, unrelated to the national pay award 2021/22, which impact on pay and conditions. This process is ongoing.”
Read more: Council services and schools face two weeks of disruption during Unite strike
Read more: Unite strike: Further disruption to council services expected in parts of NI
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