Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 586: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the policy guidelines available in Laois and Offaly to staff working in education or health regarding assessment, treatment and educational practice for children with autism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34322/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department recently issued a comprehensive circular, Sp Ed 02/05, to all primary schools regarding the organisation of teaching resources for pupils who need additional support in mainstream primary schools. The main purpose of this circular is to provide guidance for schools on the deployment and organisation of the teaching resources allocated under the general allocation model. Reference is also made in this circular to the deployment of additional teaching resources allocated to schools for the support of individual pupils with low-incidence disabilities, including those with autism.

My Department has developed a strategy designed to meet the continuing professional development needs of all school personnel working with children with special educational needs, SEN, and supports for persons with autistic spectrum disorders. Specifically, the strategy has produced: a major expansion of the range of postgraduate professional training programmes; the introduction of a range of new training programmes to provide a mix of intensive induction training and more advanced training in specific areas; and the establishment of the special education support service, SESS, in September 2003.

For teachers involved in teaching children with special educational needs, my Department provides support on an annual basis for 140 places on a postgraduate diploma programme in special educational needs; 20 places on a postgraduate programme in autism; and 16 places on a further education-masters programme in SEN. My Department also funded the development of an applied behaviour analysis, ABA, training programme in Trinity College Dublin and funded the participation of 12 teachers on the course in 2003-2004. The successful participants are now available to the Department, as classroom teachers and as a further training resource.

As part of its response to the growing demand from teachers for support and training, the SESS has developed teams of trainers to deliver training in four specific areas: autism, challenging behaviour, dyslexia and inclusion at post-primary level. This training is delivered locally across the State through the education centre network. In addition, the service provides immediate responses to requests from schools for support in a variety of autism-related areas. The SESS is providing a one-day seminar, An Introduction to Autism, for classroom teachers who currently have a child with autism in their classroom.

The service also funds the provision of on-line training courses for teachers, including a course on autism, during the summer months of July and August and during the autumn and spring terms. An on-line course in autism commenced on 17 October 2005 and will run until 2 December 2005. The service funds approved approaches to the teaching of children with autism such as picture exchange communication system, PECS, and treatment and education of autistic and related communication handicapped children, TEACCH, and the Hanen approach.

The provision of guidelines to staff working in the health sector is a matter for the Health Service Executive.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 587: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children in Laois and Offaly who have an individual education plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34323/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The specific information requested in regard to individual education plans for children in Laois and Offaly is not available to my Department. The enactment of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 and the establishment of the National Council for Special Education, which has been operational since 1 January 2005, provides a legislative and structural framework for the support of all children with disabilities.

The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 provides a comprehensive legislative framework to govern the delivery of these services while the establishment of the National Council for Special Education has improved and speeded up the delivery of services to pupils with special needs, their parents and schools. The Act sets out a range of services, which must be provided, including assessments, education plans and support services. Every child with special educational needs will be entitled to an individual education plan, IEP, prepared by appropriate professionals. The IEP will set out the child's educational needs, the special education and related support services to be provided to him or her and the goals which the child is to achieve over a period of not more than 12 months. Parents have a right to participate and provide inputs in the preparation of the IEP and it is subject to regular review and amendment.

While the sections of the EPSEN Act relating to IEPs have not yet commenced, my Department is aware that some schools have already initiated processes whereby individual educational plans have been drawn up in respect of pupils with special educational needs. This process generally involves school staff, the pupil's parents, the school psychologist and any other professionals involved with the pupil. Part of the requirement of such plans is that they are reviewed regularly with all those involved in drawing them up.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 588: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the training resources available to teachers in educational practice in autism; the duration of this training; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34325/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has developed a strategy designed to meet the continuing professional development needs of all school personnel working with children with special educational needs, including those students with autistic spectrum disorders. Specifically, since the strategy was introduced it has produced: a major expansion of the range of postgraduate professional training programmes; the introduction of a range of new training programmes to provide a mix of intensive induction training and more advanced training in specific areas; and the establishment of the special education support service, SESS, in September 2003. The increased training provision is specifically designed to address the complex range and variety of training needs in the area of special education needs, including autism.

For teachers involved in teaching children with special educational needs, my Department provides support on an annual basis for 140 places on a postgraduate diploma programme in special educational needs; 20 places on a postgraduate programme in autism; 16 places on a further education-masters programme in special educational needs; and 160 on the postgraduate programme in learning support. All these courses are of one year's duration.

This major increase in postgraduate training places will further increase the number of teachers who have already developed their skills over previous years under the strategy. It is important to note that the new diploma programmes are aimed not only to provide development and support at individual teacher level, but, crucially, at whole school-staff level. This ensures the optimum learning outcomes for SEN students. My Department also funds the development of an applied behaviour analysis, ABA, training programme in Trinity College Dublin and it supported the participation of 12 teachers on the course in 2003-04. The successful participants are now available as classroom teachers and, more importantly, as a further training resource for other teachers in this area. Short-term induction programmes in SEN are provided annually by a number of teacher training colleges, usually two or three courses per college, catering for up to 120 teachers.

In terms of new structures, my Department established the special education support service, SESS, in September of 2003 to manage, co-ordinate and develop a range of supports in response to identified training needs including autism. Hosted in Cork Education Support Centre, the SESS, which is funded by my Department, has recently undergone a significant expansion in available resources in response to the education and development needs of teachers and other school staff working with students with special educational needs.

As part of its response to the growing demand from teachers for support and training, the SESS has developed teams of trainers to deliver training in four specific areas: autism, challenging behaviour, dyslexia and inclusion of SEN students at post-primary level. This training is delivered locally across the State through the education centre network. In addition, the service provides immediate responses to requests from schools for support in a variety of autism-related areas. The SESS is providing a one-day seminar, An Introduction to Autism, for classroom teachers who currently have a child with autism in their classroom.

The service also funds the provision of on-line training courses for teachers, including a course on autism, during the summer months of July and August and during the autumn and spring terms. An on-line course in autism commenced on 17 October 2005 and will run until 2 December 2005. The service funds approved approaches to the teaching of children with autism such as picture exchange communication system, PECS, and treatment and education of autistic and related communication handicapped children, TEACCH, and the Hanen approach.

The position regarding existing pre-service teacher training courses is that they contain appropriate elements to assist teachers in dealing with the full range of pupils, including those with special educational needs. Discussions with the various colleges of education and universities are ongoing in order to ensure that appropriate responses are made to the continuing needs for all trainee teachers to acquire knowledge of, and familiarity with, the needs of children with special educational needs, including children with autism.

In September 2004, my Department, as a joint venture with the Department of Education Northern Ireland, launched the Centre for Autism, Middletown, County Armagh. As a model of best practice, the centre will provide a lead for, and offer exemplars of, educational interventions, provide training for professionals and parents, as well as a research facility and an out-reach support service which will complement current and developing service provision locally.

I am satisfied that the steps taken in recent years and those in hand represent significant progress in the development of in-career supports for teachers of children with autistic spectrum disorders.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 589: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of qualified and unqualified resource teachers, SNAs, SENOs and teachers working in schools in Laois and Offaly; the number of these that have had specific training in educational practice in autism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34326/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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There are a total of 1,654 teachers in primary and post-primary schools in Laois and Offaly of whom approximately 221 are in special education teaching posts. Information on the number of qualified and unqualified teachers is not available but all special education teachers who have a teaching qualification are regarded as fully qualified to teach in special education posts.

There are approximately 232 whole-time equivalent, WTE, SNAs in primary and post-primary schools in Laois and Offaly. All of these SNAs had to meet the appointment criteria as set out in departmental circulars. There are three SENOs in Laois and Offaly, all of whom were appointed following a recruitment process carried out by the National Council for Special Education and all of whom have an appropriate third level qualification.

My Department does not have information on the number of teachers, SNAs or SENOs who may have received specific training in educational practice in autism. However, the Deputy may be aware that my Department established, in September 2003, the special education support service to manage, co-ordinate and develop a range of supports in response to identified training needs including autism. This is hosted in Cork Education Support Centre, is funded by my Department and has recently undergone a significant expansion. I can confirm that all teachers working with children with special needs including autism can request support from the special education support service and can apply for funding to undertake a training programme in the area of autism.

Three colleges of education, namely, St. Angela's College in Sligo, Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, and Church of Ireland College, Rathmines, in conjunction with the education centre network, have formulated and delivered officially recognised training courses for special needs assistants. All existing special needs assistants may apply for these courses.

It is the policy of my Department to keep all programmes under review including those offered to special needs assistants. The Department in conjunction with the special education support service will shortly commence this process with the aim of further developing training in the area of special needs assistants. I would like to stress that there has been enormous progress made over the past number of years in regard to increasing the number of teachers and other supports in ourschools which are specifically dedicated to providing education for children with special educational needs, including children with autism.

At primary level there are now approximately 5,000 teachers in our schools working directly with children with special needs, including those requiring learning support. This compares to less than 1,500 in 1998. One out of every five primary school teachers now works specifically with children with special needs. To date, at second level there are 1,614 whole-time equivalent additional teachers in place to support pupils with special educational needs. This compares to approximately 200 teachers that were in place in 1998 for such pupils. In addition, there are 532 whole-time equivalent learning support teachers our second level schools.

The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, which became operational on 1 January 2005, now processes applications for special educational needs, SEN, supports. The council has a local area presence through a network of more than 70 special educational needs organisers, SENOs.