Gaelscoil Riabhach
Draft school policy on service animals in school
Spring 2014
Rationale
Gaelscoil Riabhach has adopted the following policy as a positive action
to ensure that individuals with disabilities are fully included in and
benefit from education in the school, and to ensure that the school is not
discriminating on the basis of disability. The Equal Status Act (2000)
places an onus on the school to ensure that access to education is not
denied to any child with a disability.
Under the Equal Status Act (2000) and for the purpose of this policy
disability means:
(a) the total or partial absence of a person’s bodily or mental functions,
including the absence of a part of a person’s body,
(b) the presence in the body of organisms causing, or likely to cause,
chronic disease or illness,
(c) the malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a part of a
person’s body,
(d) a condition which results in a person learning differently from a
person without that condition
(e) a condition, disease or illness which affects a person’s thought
processes, perception of reality, emotions or judgement or which results
in disturbed behaviour;
Service animal means any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal
individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an
individual with a disability.
The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly
related to the individual’s disability.
Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting
individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other
tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the
presence of people or sounds, providing nonviolent protection or rescue
work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure,
alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as
medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance
with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and
helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by
preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviours.
The provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or
companionship does not constitute work or tasks for the purpose of this
definition.
The Board of Management will permit individuals with disabilities to use
service animals in Gaelscoil Riabhach, on school property; and on
school activities in compliance with the following steps.
Admission Of Service Animals To Schools
A student or an employee with a disability may submit a request to bring
a service animal to school for educational or employment purposes. A
student or employee seeking to bring a service animal to school must
comply with the requirements as set forth in this policy.
Parents/Guardians of students with disabilities may submit an
application to the principal of Gaelscoil Riabhach for their student to
bring a service animal to school. The school principal shall evaluate the
request and if necessary request further information to determine
whether the student requires the service animal during the school day
or at school activities. Any service animal accompanying a student with
a disability to school or school activities shall be handled and cared for
in a manner detailed in an individual agreed plan.
The following information must be submitted as part of the above
application:
1. A letter from an appropriate agency detailing the need for a service
animal.
2. Description of the function(s) the service animal is expected to
perform in relation to the individual’s disability.
3. Proof of current vaccinations and immunizations of the service
animal.
4. Details of insurance held by owner of the service animal.
5. A letter of application accepting responsibility as set out under
‘delegation of responsibility’ below.
Following the initial application for the admission of the service animal
to school the principal will meet with the students parents to deliver
his/her decision on the application. The principal will also consider
information held on file regarding the other children in the class and
whether the presence of the animal may adversely affect any student.
If the application is accepted a detailed draft plan for the introduction of
the service animal to school and/or trial periods of training will be
completed. Parents of other children in the class will be consulted once
this draft plan has been drawn up. Details of the delegation of
responsibility for the animal to the parents of the child will be discussed
at this stage. This includes responsibility for the care of the animal,
control of the animal and any damage or injury caused.
If the application is unsuccessful the decision may be appealed in
writing to the Chairperson of the Board of Management. Grounds for
refusal or for the exclusion of the animal at any stage include, but are
not limited to:
1. The presence of the animal poses a direct threat to the health
and safety of others.
2. The handler of the animal is unable to control the animal.
3. The animal is not housebroken.
4. The presence of the animal requires a major alteration to the
school’s activities.
5. The presence of the animal adversely affects the education or
welfare of another student.
6. The presence of the animal impacts significantly on the work of
school employees.