Seanad debates

Wednesday, 28 June 2006

Adjournment Matters.

Special Educational Needs.

9:00 pm

Brendan Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach for giving me the opportunity to raise this important issue and I thank the Minister of State, Deputy de Valera, for coming to the Seanad to reply to my concerns. The Minister will be aware that a number of families are entitled to home tuition for children with special needs. This is an important service in the sense that it is an early intervention which is so important when dealing with the problems of children with autism and other conditions. It is also important, from the point of view of communication and integration, for the children to have this home tuition.

It was with dismay that the parents learned that the Department has decided to curtail the home tuition service which has been in operation for a number of years. Home tuition is provided in cases where there is no ongoing in-house education available in a primary school or the like. Concern was also expressed by many parents that psychological, speech therapy or occupational therapy services, to which many of these children are entitled, are not available in some regional areas. In the western area, the Department of Education and Science has decided to put in place special classes in Kilrush National School to deal with these children. That has not been completed, however, and because of the difficulties in finding psychological and speech therapy services in rural areas, the home tuition has become even more important.

Parents are concerned about this and have raised it locally in west Clare and nationally. I hope the Minister of State will be able to continue the service as currently operated. In some cases it is only for two hours a day and the parents have expressed to me their strong desire to continue with it because the tuition in the home is more important than what might be available in the organised school environment. It is critical that this service continues and that funding is providing to allow home tuition to continue for the foreseeable future.

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to clarify the position of the Department of Education and Science on home tuition for the children as referred to by the Senator.

The Department of Education and Science considers that school-based education provision is the most appropriate intervention for all children, including those with special educational needs, and has discontinued the practice whereby children who are in full-time education provision would also be able to avail of home tuition grants.

The children referred to by the Senator are on the autistic spectrum and are enrolled in special schools or special class placements, or are attending mainstream schools with additional resource teaching and special needs assistant supports as appropriate. Recent years have seen a major expansion in school-based provision for children with autism. Current provision includes 162 special classes for children with autism, attached to special and mainstream schools, 15 pre-school classes, five special classes for children with Asperger's syndrome and 12 standalone facilities providing an applied behavioural analysis specific methodology. Approval has also been given for the establishment of a further two such facilities.

The newly-established National Council for Special Education, and its team of more than 70 special educational needs organisers, is also working across the country to ensure that new services are put in place where needed so that children with special needs, including those on the autistic spectrum, have access to appropriate school-based provision.

The decision to discontinue home tuition grant was on the basis that the educational needs of these pupils can be best met in their individual schools. It is open to any parent who may have a concern about the educational supports being delivered in the schools to discuss his or her concerns with the school in question.

I thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to clarify the position of the Department of Education and Science in this matter.

Brendan Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Could the Minister of State convey to the Minister the small cost involved in the continuation of the home tuition and its importance in the early years to help children integrate in the national school?

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I will convey the Senator's concerns to the Minister.