Mick Finnegan is fairly recognised for his notable efforts in bringing to light the sexual misconduct he and other male children endured during their time as volunteers at St John Ambulance. His relentless pursuit for justice led to a detailed review by Dr Geoffrey Shannon, an authority on child law. The review, published earlier this year, was the fruit of his campaign against these heinous crimes.
Finnegan’s own experience of child abuse, which resulted in physical disability and enduring health issues, propelled him to venture into social work. He was admitted into the access programme at Trinity College Dublin, and subsequently enrolled on the college’s Bachelor in Social Studies course.
Not long after admission, he was diagnosed with sarcoidosis, a long-term health condition that has seen him admitted to hospital multiple times. His illness often caused him to be absent from college, leading to friction with his professors. Added to that, he was frequently late with assignment submissions, although he was granted extensions.
Finnegan needed to be hospitalised yet again during Christmas 2021, due to his chronic illness. Soon after, concerns about his frequent absences led to the college launching a fitness-to-study investigation. Finnegan was a part of this as he was also collaborating with Dr Shannon’s investigation.
The Irish Times, having access to certain documents, revealed that Finnegan’s absences were due to his involvement in the Shannon review and his health problems leading to hospital stays. Some professors marked these constant absences as troublesome.
Course attendance is essential to fulfil the accreditation criteria of Coru, the regulator for social work. Coru, however, has clarified that there is no compulsion for the courses to be taught on location.
Finnegan, a student with disabilities at Trinity College, sought unconventional and fair provisions from the college in order to complete his exams, a request which was declined despite the backing from a disability officer at the college. Even the basic access to recorded lectures is denied by some institutions, branding it as an unreasonable request, despite having offered this for several years previously, according to Dara Ryder, Ahead’s CEO.
Finnegan’s experiences highlight the seemingly rigid approach of social worker educators in offering assistance to students with disabilities. Nevertheless, Finnegan is not the lone disabled student who has faced difficulties in the university environment in the past few years.
Echoing Finnegan’s concerns, Dara Ryder, the chief executive of Ahead – an establishment committed to fostering inclusive learning spaces for persons with disabilities – indicates that although disability offices are typically supportive, broader, institutional obstacles may exist. Ryder pointed out that the transition to online learning, brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, has been enlightening, particularly for students with disabilities who no longer had to worry about the physical demands of attending lectures.
However, Ryder expressed the frustration among this group of students reintegrating into in-person learning, as they have lost the ability to study online. The larger part of learning programmes have now shifted back to primarily in-person learning, restricting access to resources such as recorded lectures.
Research conducted by Ahead has revealed that live lecture recordings are of high importance for all students, especially those with disabilities. Ryder points out that even those who favour in-person learning have found this tool highly beneficial, particularly people with disabilities who have information processing or short-term memory issues, not to mention the ongoing threat of Covid.
According to Ryder, issues raised by Finnegan and others will become the focal point of disputes in the coming years.
The Covid-19 pandemic had a significant impact across various sectors, including education. Due to the pandemic, there was a transition from traditional in-person exams to open book examinations and other alternative methods of evaluating students’ understanding and knowledge. One student, affected by short-term memory problems, who was previously struggling with examinations, found these adjustments greatly beneficial.
Research undertaken by Ahead, in partnership with disability support services, found that communication issues often existed between academia and disability offices. Consequently, disabled students’ needs went unfulfilled — a concern voiced by numerous disabled students who shared their experiences with us anonymously.
Mick Finnegan, a campaigner against sexual abuse, had to withdraw from his course due to personal circumstances, among them being the aftermath of the Shannon review. His attempts at re-enrolling were unsuccessful, and he claims the university did not receive his reconsideration application, causing him to miss a substantial number of lectures in the 2023/2024 academic year.
Finnegan’s struggles extended beyond the classroom, with him recounting his fights to expose the truth at St. John’s Ambulance and his difficulties as a disabled student at Trinity College. He expressed his belief that blue-collar workers and disabled abuse survivors would be valuable in social work and other professional service fields. He argued that their underrepresentation is largely due to inflexible accommodations on such professional service courses, pointing, for example, to the scarce number of doctors or social workers who use wheelchairs.
In spite of the challenges he faced, Finnegan received substantial support and numerous extensions from his lecturers. He argues, however, that the problem extends beyond individual firms, as disabled people face fewer barriers in courses that have low professional standards. The stiff professional requirements of certain courses end up excluding people with disabilities from a multitude of opportunities.
During my time as a peer support worker in the NHS in England, my first hand experience with abuse and homelessness was viewed as an advantage not a hindrance. My insights were used to help shape policies and procedures as a national consultant to the Royal College of Psychiatrists. A spokesperson from Trinity College in Dublin expresses their institution’s pride in being a leader in supporting students with disabilities, ensuring that their needs are accommodated appropriately.
In addition, I have recently been admitted to the University of Kent’s Master’s programme in Advanced Child Protection at the Centre for Child Protection Studies, proving my abilities and experience are valuable in providing high level protection for children.
Reflecting on my time at Trinity, I am grateful for the numerous people who assisted me, such as the disability office and my lecturers and tutors. Although, there is still further institutional work necessary to better support students with complex needs.
The Trinity College representative stated that for professional degrees like social work and medicine, they make concerted efforts to balance course essentials with the necessary flexibility and special adjustments for disabled students. The University is continuously exploring ways to improve course accessibility, with online delivery being contingent on course requirements.
They also stress on their commitment to ensuring all students meet their chosen professional course competencies, and in extraordinary cases, they advise students to contemplate taking a break from their studies to concentrate on recovery or personal issues, ensuring they receive necessary support to proceed with their education successfully.
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