Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yes. The AIM programme and the examination of the evidence there has helped to influence the SNA review in the Department of Education and Skills. There are three elements to this, the first of which is looking at the ways in which the model itself operates in the ECCE programme, from level 1 to level 8. There is a cultural level and it is there for everyone, how to be inclusive in a diverse context, the learning for the children up to the provision of additional supports if one wants to reduce the child, staff ratio because of the complexity of the needs of the child in that particular setting. That is a model, approach and process to supporting children with additional or special needs that is influencing and is there as a possible resource for what goes on then when the child moves into the primary school setting.

The second element, which relates to the question from the Chairman, is the transition from the ECCE programme into primary education. That is also being examined because it is really important. As we continue to ensure that AIM reaches more children and more settings and we increase the resources for the model my expectation, as a former educator, is that there should be less need over time if we succeed in terms of prevention and early intervention. The child should be more able for learning as he or she moves into primary and on to secondary level. That is not to say that if the child still needs it, that the support should not be there. In theory, though, that is what should be happening.