NABMSE confirms details of annual conference

The National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education (NABMSE) will hold its annual conference at the Hodson Bay Hotel in Athlone on October 10 and 11.

This year's conference theme is Belonging and this is reflected in the quality and depth of the guest speakers and contributors.

The conference will be opened by NABMSE Chairperson Patricia Harrington and amongst the guest speakers on day one will be Dr Niall Muldoon, Ombudsman for Children who will speak on ‘Children’s Rights in an Inclusive Education System’.

Dr Muldoon, who is a Counselling and Clinical Psychologist was appointed, for a second six-year term, by President Michael D Higgins in February 2021. As Ombudsman for Children Mr Muldoon has focused on generating an Ireland where children and young people are actively heard, particularly those who are most vulnerable.

Brendan Doody from the Department of Education will also address the opening day of the conference and he will deliver an ‘Update on Guidelines on Behaviours of Concern’.

Thursday afternoon will include information clinics on the following: School Transport, Buildings, SNA Deployment, Teacher Professional Learning, Curriculum and GDPR.

Day two of the conference will open with an address from Hildegarde Naughton, Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Education with responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion.

This will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Mr John Kearney, NCSE and facilitated by Dr Joe O’Connell.

On the afternoon of October 11 the conference will feature a number of workshops delivered by industry experts.

The speakers will include Dr Rory O’Sullivan, NABMSE QQI Cooperative Quality Board, Dr Lisha O’Sullivan, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, David Cashman, The WellSchools Network, ’Dr Susan Crawford, Movement Experts Ireland, Dr Brian Fitzgerald and Aoife Murphy, NCSE, Professor Bronagh Byrne, Queen’s University, Belfast and Brian Matthews, Millett & Matthews Solicitors.

The conference will be closed by Eileen O’Rourke, NABMSE General Secretary.