Inspire has been running an inclusive summer school for the past 15 years.  Since it is the only summer school in Malta that caters for children with disabilities at no charge (excluding LSA cost), and since it is renown for its high quality standards, every year, the Foundation is overwhelmed with the amount of applications for children with disabilities. Unfortunately, due to competing summer schools and other factors, the number of applications from children with typical development is very small in comparison, the foundation said.

Replying to claims by parents of an autistic child who was refused entry in a summer school, Inspire said it is essential to underline that the philosophy behind the summer school run by Inspire is that of inclusion. By its very definition, ‘inclusion’ implies the absence, or at best, the marked decrease of segregation of one particular group.  In the case of disability this means that inclusion necessarily requires a mix of people of different abilities. 

In addition the Inspire Foundation was set up with one principal overriding aim in mind – that of increasing and improving inclusion in our society. 

Through experience we have learnt that in order to preserve inclusion and at the same time maintain high quality standards, a certain ratio between the number of children with disabilities and children with typical development needs to be maintained. In the past we ran classes with an equal ratio but an analysis of this showed that the risk of this being disruptive and non-beneficial for the students with disabilities was a marked one. 

At present our experience clearly indicates that for the element of inclusion to be validly reached, it is best to have less children who require an LSA than children who do not.  The ratio varies depending on the age-bracket and the nature of the disabilities in one class and is therefore responsibly arrived at after a careful and analytical process. 

Whilst we fully empathize with, and fully understand parents who must feel that they have nowhere to send their children during the summer months, and whilst we would love to be in a position to accept all applications, unfortunately we are not in a position to do so. Some might erroneously interpret this as Inspire going against its own mission of advocating for inclusion and equality, but experience has shown us that when a higher percentage of children who require an LSA are accepted in any particular class, the noise and distraction levels make it very difficult and sometimes even upsetting, for children with certain disabilities such as Autism and ADHD.

We are fully committed to continue doing our utmost as we have done in the past to reach out to as many as we possibly can in order to validly make a difference, Inspire said. 

We strongly encourage other State and private schools, to open their doors for children with disabilities in order to relieve some of the pressures that The Inspire Foundation is facing and is unfortunately, unable to cope with.

It is going to take more than one inclusive summer school to make us a truly inclusive society.