The Buddy Bear Trust plan to meet with the Minister of Education on 10th October 2007 to disguss the concern of parents that the Education and Library were not informing parents of children with Cerebral Palsy that the Buddy Bear Conductive Education School was available as an option when considering a suitable school for their child and the proposals to establish a North/south Conductive Education Centre of Excellence, bearing in mind that 1 child in 400 is born with Cerebral Palsy each year. The parents and the Buddy Bear Trust need the support of the Minister and the Assembly to maintain the Buddy Bear Trust School until a long term solution is found.

The present funding problem is a direct result of the Education Boards not informing parents of special children about the existence of the Buddy Bear School which has educated children from it first opened in 1993. The Education and Library Boards have sent children to the school and payed the fees to date. Parents are determined to raise their concerns with the Minister of Education and to alert other parents of the Buddy Bear School.

The meeting with the Minister had to be delayed because of a dispute involving the Education Boards and Classroom Assistants. It is hoped that the meeting will be resheduled in November 2007.

Summary of Main Issues in Proposals

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