Moving back - maybe, DS with SEN

[lamandler]

First time posting in Craicnet, as Brexit Britain makes me think about moving back after leaving at 18 to study in NI, and moving to London 15 years ago...

Have loved living in London, but finding that there is something missing now - and that we haven't been able to put down roots and feel 100% at home. I am sure Brexit isn't helping, and the lurch to the right with politics, othering of anyone from another country etc etc.

DS is on the autism spectrum and to be honest, we want a calmer existence, a smaller city (Dublin), and family near-ish so that it's not just us against the world.

I am googling school support for SEN, and on paper it seems like it's at least not any worse than here, but has anyone any real life experience? He is 9, we are not religious so I would want to try to find an Educate Together type of set up.

It's all in my head at the minute, rather than anything concrete. And could be a few years down the line. But living near the sea, the friendliness, I may be wearing v rose tinted glasses of course...

[Amber76]

Welcome back (if you do make the move). Property prices and rent are really really high in Dublin - research preferred areas to give you an idea of what your budget will get you.
It can be difficult to get into school is in Dublin at junior infants level - I'm not sure about at an older age. Lots of people who aren't religious (myself included) send kids to Catholic schools - you might find your choices more limited if you restrict yourself on types of schools.
Best of luck with whatever you decide.

[twinjocks]

Hi OP - lovely to hear of people coming home. I'm a school secretary on the southside of Dublin - schools in my area are massively oversubscribed - can't speak for the rest of Dublin though.

One concrete problem you will encounter is that schools have to submit their SEN requirements by mid February for the following September's intake. All very well if a school knows which kids are coming in with SEN, but if someone turns up undiagnosed in September, or arrives here over the summer with diagnosis but no prior SEN applicants, there will be a delay, possibly of a few months, in getting the required supports from the Department of Education. If you get into a school with a good Learning Support team, they will try to juggle things to help your DS as much as they can in the interim.

[Procrastination4]

There are changes being made to provision for SEN within mainstream primary schools at the moment-and they are not an improvement on what's there already, from the looks of things. At the recent IPPN (Irish Primary Principals' Network) conference, there were a lot of worried/confused/annoyed principals discussing what these new changes would mean for schools. I'd think long and hard about it, especially if you're happy with services currently available to your child.

[A1Sharon]

OP, would you consider NI again? I'm from Dublin but live in Belfast-well, Holywood way.
One DC has Aspergers. Plenty of good schools about and good provision for them. Houses are much more affordable, near the sea, near the countryside, 15 mins to city centre, and 2 hours door to door to my family in Southside Dublin.

[hollyisalovelyname]

A1Sharon
Is the weather different up North ?
Do your family have better weather in Dublin?

[A1Sharon]

No, in fact I think I often have better weather than them! Feel free to PM me if you want.
I love Dublin and have to say I would still move there if I could. But the NHS and SN issues are good up here, I find. I have another child that has an illness that requires lots of meds/IVs etc and his care has been fabulous up here.
The two things I miss most besides being near to my mum & dad are the food down south and the pubs. bars are a bit crap up here but the food is getting much better. (greedy guts )!