Mr. Dalton Tattan:

I again thank the chairperson and members of the joint committee for the invitation to brief them on the National Council for Special Education policy advice on supporting children with autism spectrum disorder in schools.

In the latter part of 2013, the Minister for Education and Skills formally requested the NCSE to prepare policy advice on the educational provision for children with autism spectrum disorders, in line with the NCSE’s role under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act. Following consultation, terms of reference for the review were confirmed in October 2013 and the Minister requested that the NCSE would review the timeframe for the completion of this work to see whether there was scope for a completion date before the end of Spring 2015. The review was substantially concluded within the timeframe specified and following consultation with the Department of Education and Skills further consultations were arranged with a number of other Departments and offices, which further informed the review. The NCSE submitted the draft report to the Department in September 2015 and the report was published in June 2016.

The Department has been long aware of the significant increases in ASD prevalence in recent years. International studies have placed prevalence rates in the past at about 1% per cent of the population.

However, evidence gathered to support the development of the current policy advice indicates that prevalence rates are significantly higher than that and the NCSE has advised that for planning purposes, the Department should now consider a prevalence rate of 1.55% or one child in every 65. The NCSE acknowledges that some of this increase may be linked to changes in diagnostic practices, service availability or just greater awareness of autism spectrum disorders. In any event, it was considered timely and appropriate that the Department would review its approach to the education of children with ASD in Irish schools.

Educational provision for children with autism in Irish schools is currently informed by a range of published research including the report of the task force on autism of 2001 and An Evaluation of Educational Provision for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders of 2006. These reports, while still relevant and important, cannot be considered current. It was timely and necessary to take account of national and international developments and best practice which has arisen in the intervening period. Also, it is necessary to take account of what is presently working well in our system and what needs to be improved. As the NCSE has outlined, the new policy advice includes a number of conclusions and findings. In particular, the NCSE has found that students are generally well supported in schools with an appropriate curriculum, extensive teacher and SNA supports, an improving range of educational placements supported by improved accommodation and equipment, improved teacher knowledge and understanding and a generally good standard of provision at primary and post-primary levels. These findings are largely based on evidence the NCSE gathered in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, including schools, parents and students themselves. The Department acknowledges the findings and conclusions of the NCSE and, despite the recognition that students are largely well supported, sees no reason for complacency. As such, the Department will continue to strive to ensure that all children with special educational needs, including children with autism, will continue to receive the supports they need in order to access and participate in their education.

We take seriously the NCSE's concerns as outlined in the report. In particular, the Department acknowledges the concern that its early intervention scheme remains limited to certain categories of disability. Both the Department and the NCSE were centrally engaged with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in the development of that Department's AIM programme for the inclusion of children with disabilities in the mainstream preschool provision, which is the ECCE scheme. While this scheme now provides for supported access for children with disabilities, the Department will review its policies in respect of early intervention classes. The NCSE has also expressed concerns regarding the Department's extended school year scheme known as July provision. These concerns are that the scheme is inequitable as it is not more generally available to other children with complex needs. The NCSE has also identified some concerns that the current extended school year scheme can result in potentially unsafe environments for both students and staff. The Department acknowledges these concerns and has raised the issue with colleagues across a range of Departments with a view to exploring more equitable and secure options for the future. However, the Department is acutely aware that parents place a very high value on July provision and I assure parents that there will be full consultation on any proposals regarding the scheme.

The NCSE's report includes 11 key recommendations which focus on improvements which might be considered to the range of provisions which are currently available for children with autism in schools. The report's key recommendations focus on the development of teacher knowledge, skills and understanding of autism, the use of evidence-informed interventions according to student need, the need for better-resourced multidisciplinary health teams for children with disabilities, including children with autism, and the July provision scheme. The NCSE estimates that implementing the school-based recommendations in the report would cost some €20 million per annum. Since the report was received, the Department has convened an implementation group with representatives of the NCSE, NEPS, the Inspectorate and external representatives to develop an implementation plan to ensure that the NCSE's recommendations are fully and appropriately considered and that a timetable for implementation is prepared. Some of the recommended actions are not straightforward and their successful implementation will require considerable planning. Many will require additional investment. The Department will fully engage with its partners in other Departments and agencies and will consult with relevant stakeholders as appropriate throughout the implementation process.

The programme for a partnership Government recognises that education is the key to giving every child an equal opportunity in life. It contains a commitment to examine the adequacy of current special education access and funding provision. The NCSE's policy advice is a significant step towards fulfilling this commitment. However, further work is needed if we are to be sure that we are fully meeting the needs of children with special educational needs, including those with autism, in our schools.