The ratification of the UNCRPD (2006) in Ireland (2018), spearheaded a number of action plans and strategies to uphold the rights of people with disabilities including the Union of Equality: Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030. The three main themes of the strategy are freedom of movement, personal autonomy and equal opportunities, aligning specifically with Article 1 of UNCRPD (2006) and recognising that its predecessor presented many barriers in accessing employment, healthcare, education and social inclusion (Union of Equality: Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030). 

This strategy sets out the fundamental role in how inclusive accessible education, employment and self-employment  are central  to the quality of life of people with disabilities, and where education is viewed as a “multiplier” to accessing other rights (Heyer, 2021, p.47). At present, more than one million people under the age of 65 with disabilities live in institutions, 28.4% are at risk of poverty/social exclusion with only 50.8% in employment (Union of Equality: Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030, p.10). Ireland performs well below this employment figure with the fourth lowest employment rate in the EU at 36% and now has the second largest gap between those in employment with and without a disability (Kelly and Maítre, 2021). Critically, only 6% of those with an intellectual disability (ID) have a third level qualification while 14.7% are in employment (Kelly and Maître, 2021).  As part of this EU strategy, Ireland is tasked with setting targets (by 2024) to reduce this labour gap by 2030. 

In order to achieve this goal, current policy needs to acknowledge the lack of post-school options for those with ID, with segregated health funded services still being the dominant option (McConkey et al., 2017; Gillian and Coughlan, 2010). With increasing numbers of students with mild ID attending special schools (McConkey et al., 2016), the access routes to further and higher education and the labour market have been identified as being more limited than for students attending mainstream education (Union of Equality: Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030). The strategy specifically highlights the key role of guidance counselling in creating successful transition pathways to further education and employment, which has also been identified in the national context (Indecon, 2019).

The importance of planning for students with disabilities has been identified as critical in supporting transitions (Scanlon & Doyle, 2018; 2021; McCoy et al. 2014; Smyth et al. 2011) with significant challenges of role ambiguity and lack of appropropriate guidance provision identified in mainstream settings (Aston et al. 2021). However, additional barriers remain for students attending special schools, which are designated primary schools in Ireland, therefore limiting access to specialised subject teachers and appropriate senior cycle curriculum (Smyth, McCoy and Banks, 2019). Despite the statutory requirement on all schools to provide “access to appropriate guidance” counselling under the Education Act (1998) Section 9 (c) and unlike mainstream post-primary schools in Ireland, special schools are not allocated guidance counsellors and teachers often undertake this “as part of their ongoing work” without formal qualifications or access to training (Indecon, 2019 p.v.i.). 

This research project aims to build on the recommendations from the PASTE report (Scanlon & Doyle, 2018) and the vision of Ireland’s Comprehensive Employment Strategy (2015) in raising the aspirations of all stakeholders through the development of a programme of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for teachers in special schools. A secondary aim is to investigate the current provision of career guidance in Irish special schools and explore the role of teachers in this regard.

Phase one of this study will employ an online anonymous questionnaire administered to teachers of senior cycle students in special schools, which aims to capture current practice of guidance and transition planning in Ireland; teachers’ views and attitudes; levels of knowledge of post school options and identify teachers' professional development needs in order to enhance their guidance provision. Principals of special schools will be contacted and asked via email to nominate relevant senior cycle class teachers to respond with the inclusion of a letter of recruitment outlining the research study details and intended respondents. The challenge of identifying the sample size remains as there is no available database of teacher class allocations within special schools in Ireland. The utilisation of a simple interface, mobile friendly, short predominantly quantitative survey, without incentives for completion, aims to overcome some of the challenges with low response rates to online surveys (Cohen, Manion and Morrision, 2011). The survey data will be analysed using SPSS software. Following an explanatory sequential mixed method design, phase two of this study will employ a qualitative multi-informant approach through the use of interviews, participatory methods and focus groups with senior cycle students, their parents and teachers. Informed by phase one survey data analysis, phase two aims to explain the survey results in more detail by examining if they reflect the lived experiences of a smaller number of teachers and identify the views, aspirations and knowledge gaps of parents and students in making informed autonomous decisions for post school transition. Central to phase two is eliciting the voice of the student through a participatory Mosaic Approach (Clark, 2010). This aims to provide an in-depth exploration of students’ aspirations for life post school. Using a map-making, visual exercise, students will graphically document their aspirations, using photos/illustrations/annotations and map out the incremental steps they believe it will take to realise that aspiration. Combined with informal interviews with parents and teachers on the completed map to gain their perspectives on the students aspirations, a “Mosaic” or “living picture” (Clark, 2017, p.33) will be formed giving a more detailed insight into the students' vision for life post-school. Phase three will include the design, facilitation and evaluation of bespoke CPD to senior cycle teachers in response to the identified needs of informants in phase one and two to enhance guidance provision.

As there is a dearth of data and literature available regarding the provision of guidance and transition planning in Irish special schools, it is expected that the phase one survey data will make a significant contribution to the literature, providing a national perspective on current practice. The identification of teachers' knowledge, views and experiences of undertaking the role will provide insight into the challenges experienced as well as the future CPD requirements of teachers in order to enhance guidance provision in the special school sector and fulfil requirements under the Education Act (1998). In order to realise the EU Strategy themes of personal autonomy and equal opportunities, and aligning with Article 1 of UNCRPD (2006), young people with ID should be given realistic opportunities to enjoy full active participation in their communities and experience full and equal enjoyment of their right to access lifelong education (Article 24 (5)) and employment (Article 27) (UNCRPD, 2006). The development of a supported transition framework for young people with an ID in this study seeks to achieve this. On a national level, it aims to inform future models of CPD to support guidance counsellors in mainstream schools in supporting learners with ID which is currently a challenge in Irish settings (Aston et al. 2021). Due to the dominance of segregated health funded services and the significantly low participation rates of students with ID in further/higher education and employment, this research intends to inform future policy development by demonstrating the key link between appropriate guidance and availability of realistic post school pathways in increasing the number of people with ID accessing further education and employment. This in turn, should strengthen the implementation of the Comprehensive Employment Strategy (2015-2024) and assist policy makers in realising, achieving and fulfilling the employment targets of the EU Strategy 2021-2030.

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