Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism

Autism Policy and Education: Discussion

Ms Mary McGrath:

Senator Ardagh is right, you cannot access an early intervention autism class without a diagnosis. That is the current pathway into one of those classes. When parents contact our local SENO looking for that support and guidance as to where their child will go in the education system, that is something we will track. We track that engagement from the family, where that child is going, whether he or she gets a diagnosis and track what that report suggests in terms of forward planning for additional special classes in the area. In answering the question on how a child gets attached to a SENO, it is through that geographical caseload of schools that each SENO manages.