Deis Plus schools are beginning a new academic year with additional supports aimed at tackling educational inequality, but experts and school communities face a critical question: how can those resources create lasting change for children living with disadvantage?
The newly launched programme includes 129 schools and introduces roles focused on mental health, wellbeing and links between schools and families. The initiative has been welcomed by communities that have long sought greater support, although concerns remain about schools left outside the scheme and the transparency of the selection process.
Why Deis Plus matters in the latest Ireland news
Deis Plus is designed for schools serving communities with high levels of socioeconomic deprivation. Its launch reflects growing recognition that educational outcomes are shaped by more than classroom teaching alone. Family circumstances, housing insecurity, access to services, mental health and a child’s sense of belonging can all influence their experience of education.
According to the source material, recent evidence indicates that children from economically vulnerable households may arrive at secondary school carrying two psychological barriers. These barriers can affect confidence, relationships and engagement at a point when students are already navigating a major transition.
The programme’s new resources are therefore significant. However, funding and staffing will only improve outcomes if schools use them to build trusted relationships with students, families and local services.
Social connections must be a priority in Deis Plus schools
Schools are often among the most consistent institutions in a child’s life. In areas affected by deprivation, they can provide stability, identify emerging difficulties and connect families with help. That makes social connection a practical education strategy, not an optional extra.
Strong relationships can help students to:
- feel safe and valued in school;
- seek assistance before problems become crises;
- develop confidence during the move to secondary education;
- maintain engagement with learning;
- build positive links between home, school and community services.
The new mental health and wellbeing co-ordinators could play an important role in this work. Their contribution should extend beyond responding to individual difficulties. They can help schools develop preventative approaches, strengthen referral pathways and ensure that wellbeing is considered across the school environment.
The role of home-school community liaison co-ordinators
Home-school community liaison co-ordinators are also expected to support closer relationships between schools and families. This role can be particularly valuable where parents or guardians have had negative experiences of education, face practical pressures or feel uncertain about approaching a school.
Effective liaison depends on trust. Families are more likely to engage when communication is respectful, accessible and consistent. Schools may need to use several forms of contact, recognise different family circumstances and avoid treating non-engagement as indifference.
Community links matter as well. Partnerships with youth organisations, health services and other local supports can help schools respond to needs that cannot be addressed by teachers alone.
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Why the selection process has attracted criticism
The roll-out has not been universally welcomed. Schools excluded from Deis Plus have expressed disappointment, while criticism has focused on the transparency of the selection process.
The debate highlights a wider policy challenge. Statistical measures can identify patterns of deprivation, but they cannot capture every feature of a community. Two schools may appear similar in official data while facing very different pressures, including housing instability, family support needs, transport difficulties or access to local services.
This does not mean data should be abandoned. Reliable indicators are necessary when public resources are allocated. It does mean that selection criteria should be clearly explained and reviewed, with mechanisms for schools and communities to raise concerns when local circumstances are not reflected accurately.
What happens next for Ireland’s Deis Plus schools?
The immediate priority is to ensure that the new staff members are properly integrated into school planning. Their work should not operate separately from principals, teachers, special educational needs teams or existing student-support structures.
Useful early steps may include:
- mapping the needs of students and families;
- agreeing clear referral and safeguarding procedures;
- creating regular opportunities for student voice;
- building sustained contact with parents and guardians;
- working with community and public services where appropriate;
- tracking outcomes beyond examination performance alone.
Evaluation will be essential. Improvements should be measured through attendance, participation, wellbeing, transitions and family engagement as well as academic results. Educational progress matters, but it is unlikely to be sustainable if students do not feel connected to their school.
Frequently asked questions
What is Deis Plus?
Deis Plus is a new support programme for schools serving communities experiencing high levels of socioeconomic disadvantage. The programme includes 129 schools, according to the supplied source material.
What new supports are being introduced?
The initiative includes mental health and wellbeing co-ordinators and home-school community liaison co-ordinators.
Why are social connections important?
Positive relationships can improve a student’s sense of belonging, make it easier to seek help and strengthen co-operation between families, schools and community services.
Why are some schools unhappy with the roll-out?
Schools not selected for the programme have expressed disappointment, while critics have questioned how transparent the selection process has been.
The wider lesson for education policy
The launch of Deis Plus places attention on an important principle: tackling education inequality requires more than additional classroom resources. Children’s relationships, confidence and connection to trusted adults can shape whether they benefit from those resources.
For the 129 participating schools, the programme offers an opportunity to make support more joined-up and responsive. Its success will depend on whether new roles are given time, clarity and meaningful links to families and communities.
The clearest takeaway from this Breaking News story is that educational disadvantage cannot be addressed through statistics or funding alone. Deis Plus schools will need to make social connection, trust and early support central to everyday school life if the programme is to deliver lasting change.
