Members of the Dyslexia Advocacy Group have outlined the difficulties faced for parents and children with dyslexia and related conditions on the island.
The group, which includes concerned parents and advocates, told a select committee that they believe schools are breaching the Equality Act by failing to provide proper support.
Julia Bell, the Tynwald Day petitioner whose bid led to the committee being formed, explained how her daughter’s struggles with literacy were not recognised by schools, leading her to seek and fund a private diagnosis.
“Schools did not identify my child as being dyslexic or acknowledge my concerns,” she told the committee. “I had to provide the diagnosis myself, which required funding and taking her off-island.”
Other members of the advocacy group shared similar experiences navigating the education system.
Annabel Storm recounted a lengthy process to get her son assessed, only to be told that the local CAMHS service did not have the remit to diagnose dyslexia.
“We’re talking about a 5-year journey here, constantly being told that CAMHS is the answer, going back and saying, ‘I don’t think they are,’ and then finally getting to the point where they’re not.”
Support
The group highlighted that the challenges extend beyond the diagnostic process, noting the lack of consistent support and accommodations provided to identified students.
They shared examples of schools removing essential assistive systems, such as laptops and scribes, just before important exams.
Peter Washington told the committee that the issues surrounding dyslexia support have persisted for over 20 years with little progress.
He criticised the government’s apparent approach of waiting for the problem to resolve itself.
The witnesses called for reforms, including the implementation of a comprehensive Additional Educational Needs code of practice, mandatory teacher training on dyslexia and the introduction of universal screening for all primary school children.
Equality
They also stressed the need for greater financial accountability and consequences for schools failing to comply with the Equality Act.
Ms Storm said: “”It’s not through lack of want. But how can you be insisting that schools put support mechanisms in place with individuals who don’t have the knowledge to do that?”
Ms Bell added that while the Equality Act should mean support, this hasn’t been met with proper funding.
She said: “I was informed yesterday that since the Equality Act has come out, there’s been more need to notice SEN [special educational needs] because of what that equality act has done.
“But I was also told that the Equality Act didn’t come with extra staffing. It didn’t come with any more budget.”
Mr Washington added that because there are “no consequences” for schools allegedly breaching the act, nothing has or will change without it being made to change.
You can watch the full committee below:
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