David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 549: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the ways in which the National Educational Psychological Service supports the personal, social and educational development of all children in primary and post-primary schools as outlined in her response to Parliamentary Question No. 1718 of 31 January 2007; the way in which all pupils in those schools that do not have direct access to psychological assessment are so supported; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4084/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The National Educational Psychological Service operating within my Department provides a range of services both direct and indirect which support the personal, social and educational development of all children in primary and post-primary schools. As outlined in my reply to the deputy's recent question No. 1718 in this regard NEPS provides access to psychological assessment either directly from the National Educational Psychological Service of my Department or through the Scheme for Commissioning of Psychological Assessments (SCPA).

As also mentioned NEPS provides assistance to all schools and school communities that experience critical incidents, informing planning structures within which school authorities can prepare for such unfortunate events and, when requested by such authorities, providing the direct support of local NSPS psychologists.

NEPS processes applications for Reasonable Accommodation in Certificate Examinations and responds to queries in relation to individual children from other sections of my Department and from specialist agencies. NEPS also provides a service to children with visual impairment irrespective of the school which they attend.

Along with other elements of my Department NEPs has had direct in-put into the formulation of my Department's General Allocation model introduced for all primary schools last year, which, supported by the provision of over 600 extra resource teachers, means that children with high-incidence special needs no longer have to undergo an individual assessment before they can get access to extra support. Psychologists from NEPS are assigned to the recently formed National Behavioural Support Service which is currently structuring a piloting of its activities with a number of schools nationwide

At a broader level NEPS has provided advice input and expertise from the psychological perspective to the formulation of a range of supports aimed directly at personal, social and educational development of students in Primary and/or Post Primary schools.

Social Personal and Health Education has been part of the national curriculum in all primary schools since September 2003. It is delivered to children at all levels from infants upwards. It provides particular opportunities to foster the personal development, health and well-being of the individual child, to help the child to create and maintain supportive relationships and to become an active responsible citizen in society. The curriculum is built around 3 strands and deals with issues such as making decisions, developing self confidence, growing and changing, personal safety, relating to friends, family and others, handling conflict, respecting difference and awareness of bullying.

All post-primary schools are required to implement SPHE as part of the Junior Cycle core curriculum from September 2003. Its content is comprehensive and it is presented in ten modules which address topics and issues relevant to the lives of the students. The overall aim is to help develop students' confidence and self esteem, and promote the skills for living, for responsible decision making, and for mental, physical and emotional health and well-being. Psychologists from NEPs have contributed to major aspects of the above programmes.

All post-primary schools provide a guidance and counselling service for their students and they receive ex-quota hours from the Department for this provision. The Guidance programme in schools is designed to offer a range of learning experiences to students in the areas of personal development, educational guidance and career development. Guidance counsellors are qualified to provide personal counselling support on a one to one basis to students where needed.

NEPS and NEPS Psychologists interface at a number of levels with the Guidance Counsellors, having participated in the National Guidance Forum, meeting on an on-going basis with the National Centre for guidance in education (NCGE) and the institute for Guidance Counsellors (IGC) and engaging with guidance practitioner cluster groups around the country.