St Mary’s Student Support Officer Claire O’Malley recently attended a seminar in St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra. The inaugural event, which was organised by St Patrick’s College and facilitated by AHEAD (Association for Higher Education Access and Disability), began the collaboration of all southern teaching colleges in the area of Supporting Disabled Students on School Placement.

Dr Daire Keogh, president of St Patrick’s College, gave a warm welcome and was followed by speakers including Katie Ridge (Barrister at Law) and Dr Bernadette Ní Áingléis (Director of Teaching Practice in St Patrick’s College). In light of the need to further develop inclusivity, this seminar was convened to discuss the issues arising in supporting students with disabilities on school placement, to voice concerns, to share current good practice and consider workable solutions. It is hoped that the southern colleges will develop joint guidelines for student support in this area. Much of the content was pertinent to practice in the North including similar student issues as well as EU regulations and declarations by the UN.

Visits by St Mary’s staff to fellow universities are significant to College development and serve to inform good practice. Earlier in the year, Claire visited two Polish universities, Jagiellonian University in Kraków and Krosno State College, where meetings with Disability Services and Widening Access personnel proved educational and inspirational.