Ms Anne Tansey:

The Deputy asked about our caseload and how we refer on to other services. On the number of children we see every year, we work in consultation with schools. We have a system in place whereby schools identify the needs of children and they put in place a student support plan for each child. The school assesses need and puts in place interventions, which are constantly reviewed. As a service, we are available to consult with the school on what it is doing and to support it in that regard. When a school gets stuck, it will ask us to become directly involved with the child. Our involvement with the child occurs in consultation with the school, having taken account of what the school is doing already.

In terms of onward referral, as a service we have built up links locally with primary care services, the network disability teams and CAMH services and we try to establish pathways for referral. As a service, for example, we do not diagnose autism. We are working in a school system where there is no longer a need for diagnosis to access support in schools. The Department of Education and Skills now front-loads resource teachers into schools in order that the support is in place and accessible by children in need. In terms of referral, if we believe that children need support from services that are provided by the HSE, we refer them on through the pathways available locally.