Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 1095: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the studies that have been carried out into the applied behaviour analysis method of teaching autistic children; if any pilot schemes are in place; if so, when they began; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1216/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has not conducted any specific studies into the applied behaviour analysis method of teaching children with autism. However, my inspectorate has conducted an evaluation of provision for pupils with autism, using a sample of schools across various settings. Centres supported by my Department and using an applied behaviour analysis approach, but generally not exclusively so, were among the settings evaluated. Provision for children with autism was the focus of the evaluation rather than any particular approach. Individual reports were furnished to each centre and school evaluated. A composite report on the overall evaluation is being prepared at present and will be available later this year.

My Department has acknowledged the demand by parents of autistic children for educational provision with an applied behaviour analysis component. To this end, my Department is funding six applied behaviour analysis pilot schemes that have been subject to evaluation under the current review of education provision for children on the autistic spectrum. These units were established on a pilot basis as they were set up outside of the normal mainstream educational structures and continue to operate on that basis. In addition to the review referred to above, and as the structures that have been put in place to support the applied behaviour analysis units have only been developed in recent years, the Department is exploring how the resourcing of this type of provision can be put on a more systematic basis. As this process is ongoing, the Department will continue to support the units in question so that provision is available for the children involved.