Marginalised students in Primary and Post-Primary DEIS Schools and other settings: System Gaps in Policy and Practice and the Priority Issues for consideration, with reference to the impact of Covid 19

Abstract

Founded in 2000 by the late Dr. Ann Louise Gilligan, the DCU Educational Disadvantage Centre, located in its Institute of Education, engages in interdisciplinary research, policy and practice regarding poverty and social inclusion in education at global, EU and national levels, as well as local community contexts. Dr. Paul Downes, Associate Professor of Education (Psychology) is its Director since 2004. Many of the Centre’s reports are published on the EU Commission’s School Education Gateway and have been cited in a range of official EU Policy documents in areas of early school leaving, key competences for lifelong learning, transitions, inclusive education and future of learning. The Centre has been involved in European comparative research projects on parental involvement for marginalised groups across 10 European cities, access to education across 12 countries and has led an EU Commission published report on inclusive systems in and around schools that devised a structural indicators self-evaluation tool for inclusive systems for schools and policy makers across Europe, officially translated by the EU Commission into 22 European languages, and published by the Commission. The Centre’s Joint INTO/EDC DEIS National Conference (2015) was the largest consultation process for the National DEIS Action Plan 2017 on Social Inclusion in Education.