Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this important matter. I am here on behalf of the Department of Education today, but it is an area in which I have a very deep personal interest. I thank the Senator for setting it out so clearly. The Department of Education wanted me to highlight that the role of NEPS has evolved and changed over the years, and the service provides a broad range of supports to schools. As the Senator pointed out, the opportunity for equality of access to those services is among the most important challenges we face. He is right to highlight that point.

NEPS, in common with many other psychological services, has adopted a consultative model of service. The focus is on empowering teachers to intervene effectively with pupils. All schools have access to a service from NEPS, which includes psychological support in the event of a critical incident; a school staff support and development service to build school capability to provide a comprehensive continuum of support in schools; ongoing access to advice and support for schools from a psychologist; and casework services for individual children where there is a need for intensive consultation and assessment. That service is provided but children have to be able to access it, as the Senator has correctly observed.

NEPS psychologists work with school staff and offer training, guidance and consultation services for teachers in the provision of universal and targeted evidence-informed approaches and early interventions to promote children's well-being, inclusion and participation in their learning. Initiatives such as the Incredible Years teacher classroom management programme, the FRIENDS resilience and anxiety reduction programmes and the NEPS literacy development programmes have been welcomed by schools and their impact positively evaluated to date. Other examples of initiatives include the provision of tailored training to schools on how best to support a range of difficult issues such as reluctant school attendance, meeting the needs of students with autism, understanding and managing children's different behaviours and trauma-informed practice in schools.

NEPS has played an important role in developing policy and supporting schools as they welcome students from Ukraine. This includes publishing guidance on supporting all children who may be experiencing distress or trauma in relation to events, and delivering well-being webinars for teachers and school staff. NEPS psychologists are also actively engaging with school principals to provide advice on supporting students from Ukraine.

In 2021 the NEPS casework service extended to over 8,500 students. Additionally, under the scheme for commissioning psychological assessments, SCPA, process, private psychologists funded by the Department provided assessments to schools for over 900 students. However, as the Senator correctly pointed out, early access to a psychologist, a correct diagnosis and the relevant supports can make the difference for a child. A year or two years is a very long period in a child's life and a very short period for an adult. It is of huge developmental significance at that time.

NEPS also attempts to support an estimated 25,000 teachers annually through its support and development service. NEPS is structured with eight regional divisions trying to support schools. There are 225 whole-time equivalent educational psychologists across the eight NEPS regions, which has grown from a base of 173 in 2014. The Minister for Education recently announced an additional 54 educational psychologists to provide services to special schools and special classes as part of budget 2023 and as part of a focus on providing extra supports to special schools. A recruitment competition is ongoing with the Public Appointments Service, with interviews commencing this month. It is expected that vacancies will be filled from that recruitment campaign.

A working group in the Department has been examining the matter of how NEPS can continue to recruit adequate numbers of suitably qualified staff. The Senator is right to highlight the university programmes, expediting graduates from that and their availability for NEPS to continue to respond to the educational psychological needs of children in recognised primary and post-primary schools across the country. The group has agreed on a number of actions that must be taken to address supply issues in the medium to long term. These include the development of a workforce plan for educational psychologists within the Department of Education. Work has begun with other Departments to advance that. The Minister for Education would like me to remind the Senator that she remains committed to supporting the well-being, academic, social and emotional development of all learners, and that NEPS is leading the Department's work in those areas.