Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 594: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the arrangements for liaison between her Department and the Department of Health and Children at national and local level in Laois and Offaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34332/05]

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 595: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the facilities available in Laois and Offaly for diagnostic assessment of mental handicap and-or autism and for multidisciplinary team therapeutic interventions for comorbid challenging behaviour or mental illness in children with a moderate, severe or profound mental handicap; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34333/05]

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 596: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the way in which parents of children with a moderate, severe or profound mental handicap and-or autism in Laois and Offaly can access psychology services for the treatment of challenging behaviour; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34335/05]

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 597: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the way in which parents of children with a moderate, severe or profound mental handicap and-or autism in Laois and Offaly can access educational psychology services, specifically assessments, re-assessments and monitoring of school progress including social integration between formal assessments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34336/05]

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 598: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the way in which parents of children with a moderate, severe or profound mental handicap or autism in Laois and Offaly can access diagnostic psychology assessments for diagnosis of mental handicap and-or autism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34337/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 594 to 598, inclusive, together.

There is ongoing liaison and collaboration at national, regional and area levels between the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, and the Health Service Executive, HSE. Following publication of a NEPS-HSE working group report entitled Achieving Through Partnership in 2002, a joint NEPS-HSE national steering committee was established to oversee the implementation of the report. This committee promotes collaborative working, including the development of agreed work protocols at regional and area levels. It is currently considering the development of joint working projects that should ensure a more co-ordinated approach to the delivery of services at regional level for target groups such as children with autistic spectrum disorders, ASD.

Diagnostic assessment services for children with moderate, severe or profound intellectual disability are the responsibility of the HSE local services. In the case of autism, I understand the HSE has a number of autism diagnostic teams in place in all regions. The provision of therapeutic services is also the responsibility of the HSE. Where children are identified as having severe emotional or child psychiatric difficulties, these children are treated on an individual basis through HSE services.

I understand that over the past two years in Laois and Offaly, the NEPS has provided in-service training for classroom teachers and resource and learning support teachers in the application of best practice in supporting children with autism. I understand NEPS psychologists also provided support to teachers in the development of individual education plans, IEPs, in this context. NEPS is committed to promoting a collaborative approach with the relevant health services in regard to interventions for children with ASD.

The current business plan of NEPS provides for a gradual expansion into special units in mainstream schools and into special schools that do not have access to other psychological services. The first stage is an analysis of needs and increased access to the scheme for commissioning of psychological assessments, SCPA, which NEPS administers, where the analysis indicates this to be necessary. I understand planning in this regard is at an advanced stage. I am hopeful that on completion of this process, NEPS will be in a position to collaborate with HSE services in supporting children with autism placed in mainstream schools and their teachers and parents. I also understand that NEPS aims to incorporate a plan of support for special units into its service provision to schools in 2006-2007.