Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 1553: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on making training in recognising autistic spectrum disorder part of the professional training of all frontline education professionals. [1633/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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At the outset, I would like to inform the Deputy that the formal recognition of Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), as per Departmental Circular SP ED 02/05, is a matter for clinical psychologists or other relevant professionals, but not frontline educational professionals such as teachers. Frontline education professionals are trained to recognise the signs and difficulties associated with ASDs in order for them to facilitate the referral of pupils with ASDs for appropriate assessment.

The existing pre-service teacher training programmes in the Colleges of Education (primary teacher training) include specific elements aimed at enabling all student teachers to recognise and deal with children with special educational needs, including pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

At second level, there are elements to both the Higher Diploma in Education and the Education Degree programmes in the University of Limerick, as part of a general alertness orientation programme, on the variety of learning difficulties which pupils may have — this also covers the issue of ASD.

My Department holds ongoing discussions with the Colleges of Education and Universities to ensure that appropriate responses are made at pre-service level in relation to the continuing needs of all trainee teachers to acquire knowledge of, and familiarity with, the needs of pupils with special educational needs, including ASD.

I would like to point out that my Department has developed a strategy to meet the continuing professional development of teachers working with pupils with special educational needs. This strategy has resulted in a major expansion in the range of post-graduate professional development programmes for teachers. These programmes, which are available annually, include the "Masters in Special Educational Needs (MSEN)", "Combined Post-Graduate Diploma Programme of Continuous Professional Development for Teachers involved in Learning Support and Special Education" and the "Graduate Certificate Course in the Education of Pupils with Autism". It is a central feature of all these courses that teachers are given the necessary skills and expertise to recognise Autistic Spectrum Disorders as well providing the training to meet the needs of students with ASD and special educational needs in general.

Ongoing support in the area of Special Educational Needs is provided by the Special Education Support Service (SESS). The SESS was established as part of the Department's overall strategy continuing professional development of teachers working with pupils with special educational needs and it undertakes a number of approaches to address the training needs with a view to enhancing the teaching and learning for children with special educational needs. The SESS provides a dedicated support team of expert teachers delivering a range of supports to schools through seminar delivery and individual school visits. In 2006, over 4,000 training places were funded by the SESS to enable teachers access a range of autism training. The recognition of Autistic Spectrum Disorders forms an integral part of all supports provided by the SESS. This support and training in the recognition of ASDs informs training across the educational spectrum, both in mainstream and special schools. Given the training and support available, I am satisfied that there is comprehensive training and support available to all frontline education professionals in the recognition of Autistic Spectrum Disorders.