Written answers

Tuesday, 21 March 2006

Department of Education and Science

Psychological Service

8:00 pm

Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 722: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the National Educational Psychological Service will be expanded sufficiently to allow for assessments under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10104/06]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Since the establishment of the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, in 1999, the number of NEPS psychologists has increased from 43 to 122. The Public Appointments Service recently concluded a new recruitment competition for the appointment of educational psychologists to NEPS. Regional panels have been established to allow the Department of Education and Science give greater priority in filling vacancies to areas with the greatest need. The Department is in the process of recruiting a further nine psychologists.

All primary and post-primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service or through the scheme for commissioning psychological assessments, SCPA, full details of which are available on the Department of Education and Science's website.

In common with many other psychological services, NEPS operates a staged model of service to schools, whereby an initial referral usually leads to a consultation and provision of advice for teachers and parents on appropriate teaching and management strategies. Progress is kept under review and only those children who fail to respond to these interventions will need to see a psychologist. This allows psychologists to offer early appointments to children who are in urgent need of support and early advice to teachers in respect to those children whose needs are perhaps less pressing but who still need additional help in school.

The system of assessment and provision for children with special educational needs is kept under constant review by the Department of Education and Science. As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Education and Science has introduced a general allocation model of additional resources to all primary schools for children in the "high incidence" category of special educational needs as set out in the Department of Education and Science's circular Sp Ed 02/05. This is expected to lead to a reduction in the number of referrals of children for psychological assessment for the purpose of accessing additional resources.

The National Council for Special Education is preparing a plan for the implementation of the Education for Persons with Special Needs Act 2004. That plan will address many issues arising from the Act, including that of assessment needs, and will involve consultation with the National Educational Psychological Service of the Department of Education and Science. The plan is expected by October 2006 and will be considered at that time.

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