Parents of child with disabilities denied effective participation in school transition decision making

Parents of child with disabilities denied effective participation in school transition decision making

Published June 03, 2026

The complaint

The complaint was lodged by the mother of a fifteen-year-old boy attending his final year at Guardian Angel Secondary School. The complainant sought information from the Education Authorities regarding her son’s transition to the Dun Manwel Attard School in Wardija.

She was informed that the only option available was a privately run programme known as Life Map. The complainant expressed concern that the Wardija School was no longer accepting new students and that no intake was envisaged for the following scholastic year. She also questioned the structure of the new programme, including concerns regarding staffing, regulation, and its suitability for her son’s educational needs.

The complainant maintained that her son had never exhibited disruptive behaviour and argued that the largely therapeutic nature of the proposed programme would negatively affect his continuing education.

Facts and findings

During the investigation, the Commissioner for Education examined concerns raised by parents and NGOs regarding the intended winding down of the Dun Manwel Attard School and the introduction of the Life Map programme. Questions were raised about the reasons behind the proposed closure of a school with an established record, the qualifications and regulation of staff involved in the new programme, and whether the transfer of post compulsory education services for children with disabilities to a private entity was consistent with the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The investigation established that following an evaluation carried out by the Education Authorities, a circular issued on 11 May 2026 confirmed that the Wardija School would continue operating and that the intake process would resume. The Commissioner noted that this effectively reversed the previous intention to wind down the school and restored a genuine choice for parents between the Wardija School and the Life Map programme.

The investigation also examined the operation of a specialised multi-disciplinary Board within the Directorate for Educational Services responsible for determining admissions to specialised educational settings, including Wardija School and Life Map. The Board assesses referrals on the basis of documentation, psycho-educational reports, and consultations with school officials and inclusion professionals.

However, the Commissioner found that the admissions process did not include direct consultation with parents. The investigation further established that parents were not granted an effective right of appeal against decisions taken by the Board. The Commissioner stressed the importance of parents as the primary educators of their children and noted that meaningful participation by parents is essential in decisions concerning specialised educational placements.

The Commissioner also expressed concern that the admissions procedures and criteria applied by the Board were not publicly available, limiting transparency and reducing the ability of parents to participate effectively in decisions affecting their children’s education.

Conclusions and recommendations

The Commissioner for Education held the complaint justified to the extent that the complainant mother did not have the right to be heard by the specialised admissions Board, nor would she be provided with an effective right of appeal from its decisions. The Commissioner concluded that this procedural imbalance was unreasonable and wrong in principle within the meaning of the Ombudsman Act.

The Commissioner recommended that the admissions procedures and criteria for specialised schools be made publicly available. He further recommended that administrative measures be introduced to ensure that parents are directly consulted by the Board and, where requested, allowed to participate in meetings concerning their child’s placement.

The Commissioner also recommended the establishment of an internal administrative appeal procedure to ensure that parents are provided with an effective remedy when contesting decisions related to specialised educational placements.

The report is being published in the public interest in line with Article 29(2) of the Ombudsman Act.