A Dublin mum is set to protest outside the Dail next week as she continues to fight for her young son with autism to be given a place at a special school that can better care for his needs.
Nadine Staunton, from North Kings Street in Dublin, is a mum of three sons and her youngest two boys have both been diagnosed with autism. She previously campaigned to get her middle son, Maddix, into a school three years ago after he was left on a HSE waiting list for years. During the summer she also protested outside the Dail to get her youngest son Jefferson into a new school.
Speaking to Dublin Live this week, Nadine said that she is "very stressed" that she is still having to campaign to secure a place at a special school for her youngest son Jefferson, seven, who has autism and is currently struggling to keep up with his schoolwork.
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She said: "It's gotten to stage that when you're taking him out of the house that he's getting to school and running the whole way back and I've to chase him. He will not sleep in the night and I've rang the HSE up, they told me to stay up with him all night but I said 'how can you stay up all night with a child if he needs to go to school and he needs to learn?'
"I have him back in a routine at the moment, I put him to bed at 8pm and I don't get to sleep until 11. He's kicking me, calling me names and biting me. It's because he's not getting the support and help he needs. I'm looking to go speak to someone in the Dail because they are not helping our kids, there are all other mothers fighting for their kids too," said Nadine.
Nadine said that after years of fighting for her middle son Maddix to get a place in a special school, now five years on she is fighting for a school place for her youngest child Jefferson.
She said: "I stopped fighting when Maddix got his school place, here I am now fighting hard for my youngest. Enough is enough, my child Jefferson won't go to school because he's not able for the work in a public school."
According to Nadine, her son Jefferson is now in 1st class and he goes to a school on Howth Street and he has an SNA working with him, although not on a permanent basis. She said: "Jefferson needs to be in a place where he gets all the support he needs, I know that since I've had Maddix in his new school he can go the toilet and has all his supports."
Nadine described how Jefferson will not sleep and how he is "like a full time battery that never stops." She vowed that she will herself not stop until she gets him into a school that can fully support all of his care needs.
"I will never give up on my kids and I'll fight until I die to make sure that Maddix and Jefferson have all the supports they need in school."
On Wednesday, Nadine went to the board of education to seek help for her son. She said: "It's like they don't want to know about our children, so I'm going to take to the streets of Dublin myself about it.
"I'm going to head to the Dail next week, maybe on Tuesday, to stage a peaceful protest to get help for Jefferson." Nadine is planning on protesting outside the Dail as part of her campaign 'A Walk In Their Shoes Autism Awareness 2022' to get TDs to understand what it is like for families such as hers.
Dublin Live has contacted The Department of Education and the HSE for comment.
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