Education

1. What is the Disability Access Route to Education (DARE)?
2. Who is DARE for?
3. Why was DARE set up?
4. What does “reduced points” mean?
5. Which colleges take part in DARE?
6. How many places are there for DARE students each year?
7. What disabilities are eligible for consideration for DARE?
8. Who screens DARE applications ?
9. What guidelines are used to assess applications for DARE?
10. How can I apply to DARE? 

*There are more FAQ’s on the DARE website, click on any question 1-10 to take you there

Home Tuition

Click here for government info.

Children with inflammatory bowel disease often miss out on schooling either while in hospital for extended periods, recuperating or with regular visits. Home tuition is available where these circumstances arise.
Home Tuition is provided by a teacher that is chosen by the parent. They are paid a rate of €41.99 per hour. The money is paid to the parent who pays it to the teacher. It is worth speaking to your child’s school to consider the options and suggestions that they have.

The hours available vary from 2-10 hours per week. 10 hours is really only given to Leaving Cert students.

Assessment of the number of hours is based on age and how  much time is  being missed. The application form has a section for the parents, Principle of the child’s school and the Consultant to fill in.

The Principle of your child’s school has to fill in how many days were missed in the previous year and how many days have been missed so far in the current year. It is important that this is filled in correctly. Remind your Principle of the days when your child may have to take half days for appointments. These count too.

The Consultant needs to fill in how long they think that your child will be absent. In many cases this section is not completed in returned forms. As we know liver disease can be unpredictable. Ask whoever you are speaking to to attempt to fill it in as if they don’t it is left to the Department of Education to guess.

Should you be unhappy with the amount of time allocated contact the department again to ask for more. The allocation is reviewed by another member of staff.

Application forms include information on the tutor. The Department recognize that we may need to have the hours allocated before you can get a tutor. Therefore apply for the grant before starting the teaching. Then you can send in the tutor’s information quickly afterwards.

The allocation includes the hours and number of months that they will allocate funding for. Should home tuition need to be extended beyond the allocated months you must contact the department to get approval.

When applying for Home Tuition you need to get a tax compliance certificate. In most cases this is just a case of calling your tax office. They are very helpful when they are told the circumstances.

All tutors need to be Garda vetted. This needs to be completed before they start teaching. Most teachers who are teaching in primary school already have this.

Garda Vetting-click on this link to find out more

Web site with application form.

Click to apply here

Many Principles are not aware of Home Tuition. The information on the Department of Education is under the section Children with Special Needs.

We have pointed out that it is not clear that this includes children with chronic conditions making it difficult to find information on their web site for families and teaching staff. They have replied to say that they have taken note of our concerns and that they will consider amending it in due course.

This Department are very helpful so if you have any issues they are worth a phone call.

Update: 4th April 2013

Parents are reminded that Home Tuition is not payable during the Easter holidays and the Home Tuition Grant aid should not be used during this period.

Only tuition being provided by the approved tutor on a strictly 1:1 basis only is funded under the Home Tuition Scheme and the home tuition grant cannot be used for any other type or category of tuition.

The current scheme has different finish dates dependent on the category / reason for the award of Home Tuition. Parents are reminded that when the home tuition scheme finishes for your child, part 5 of the claim form must be signed by both the tutor and the parent and sent into the Department.

See also:

Should you have anything that you would like to add to this web site please contact us.

Back to School!

A helpful quick reference guide for teachers/coaches & carers of children/teens with IBD.

Click to download a copy of the pdf here; Gutsykids Leaflet

We will also have hard copies available from info@gutsykids.ie or at Crumlin in the coming weeks. Bathroom Access Cards are underway, they will also be available as a download or a hard copy.

Thank you to everyone who raised funds for Gutsykids to make this possible.

G.I. Administration services at Crumlin Hospital

All requests for support letters – medical cards, department of education/state exam support letters etc – are dealt with on 1st Friday of the month and requests for such support must be submitted in plenty of time.

TRAQ-Transition Tool

The G.I. clinical nurse specialists have rolled out a new tool to help improve services starting with Teens born in 1999. If your child is in 2nd year and has not already signed up to TRAQ please contact the G.I. clinic IBD CNS Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital,Crumlin, D12

01 4282593 or 01 4096100 Bleep 876

Download a copy by clicking on the link below:

TRAQ-Readiness for transition checklist – Adolesent final draft

TRAQ-parents checklist final draft