Written answers

Tuesday, 27 November 2007

Department of Education and Science

Psychological Service

8:00 pm

Photo of Brian HayesBrian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 510: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will make a statement on a matter (details supplied). [30811/07]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) that is administered by NEPS.

In common with other psychological services NEPS encourages a staged assessment process, whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and remedial intervention. Only if there is a failure to make reasonable progress in spite of the school's best efforts, will a child be referred for individual psychological assessment. This system allows the psychologists to give early attention to urgent cases. The prioritisation of urgent cases for assessment is a matter for the school principal in the first instance.

I can inform the Deputy that where non-English speaking children are so prioritised, NEPS, on a case-by case basis, arranges to cover the cost of basic interpretation facilities being provided in parallel with the educational assessment.

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