About 70 parents, families & friends of children with special needs walked from St Martin’s School to Number Six Convent Place today, calling for “an all-encompassing special needs strategy” that considers every aspect of the person’s life and those of their families.

The Government has responded to say it is committed to developing this strategy.

Many were wearing t-shirts that read: “we are our children’s voices”.

They carried placards that asked for the movement of LSA’s in St Martin’s school to stop and called for specialist medical practitioners, a children’s commissioner, assisted living, appropriate secondary education, more community awareness and an increase of key workers.

The organisers were aware that there are ongoing discussions with the Chief Minister and the Education Minister, but they wanted them and the public to know the strength of feeling on this.

Parents spoke of the very significant demands placed on them and their families by the care their special needs children need. Care - they say - has not been adequately supported by the Government for many years now.

The pandemic has made things extra tough for most of these people walking up Main Street today. Many who spoke to us said they were struggling. One father told us the care his child requires is so extensive, and the support so minimal, that he had only been out for dinner with his wife twice in the past 10 years.

In short, they are asking the Government to provide more support for special needs children and their families. To do so across Government departments and agencies. And to do so as quickly as possible.

Education Minister John Cortes came out to meet the protestors and received a letter from them addressed to the Chief Minister.

Dr Cortes discussed the parents’ concerns with them for a few minutes before going into Number Six Convent Place.

This afternoon, the Minister for Education said he had met with representatives of parents of children at St Martin’s School, as part of a series of regular meetings where a wide range of matters were discussed, including work on developing a Gibraltar Special Educational Needs Strategy. It follows a recent meeting with the Chief Minister and is in advance of a further meeting with the Chief Minister next week.

The Government said their plan is to develop and agree a strategy which will ensure that pupils and former pupils from St Martin’s are offered joined-up care by all relevant agencies, meeting the needs of the children and their families.

The parents who walked from St Martin’s School to Number Six told GBC that more needed to be done and that - after waiting for years - they need to see action.

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