Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 261: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science the policy that the National Education Welfare Board is implementing on children leaving school before the age of 16 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17424/10]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, established the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) charged with ensuring that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education. The Act provides a comprehensive framework promoting regular school attendance and tackling the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving. All sections of the Act have been commenced since July 2002.

In May 2009, my Department extended the remit of the NEWB. The new remit will bring together the Visiting Teacher Service for Travellers (VTST), the Home School Community Liaison Service (HSCL) and the School Completion Programme (SCP) as well as the National Educational Welfare Service (EWS) under one common management team thereby providing for a single, more focussed, strategic direction at local, regional and national levels, reflecting equally the nature and strength of each of the services. The NEWB is charged with developing a single, strategic approach to attendance, participation and retention in school to meet the needs of children who are at risk of early school leaving or of developing attendance problems.

A core part of the new strategy will be an integrated child and family centered education support service drawing on the skills, expertise and knowledge of the four services – VTST, HSCL, SCP and EWS. By combining the skills and strengths of staff from the four services along with those of teachers and other school-based personnel, the new integrated approach will provide for better targeting of children who are not benefiting from education and it will ensure that these children are properly supported to maximise their educational potential. Work has commenced on developing the new arrangements. An integrated management team has been established and is working effectively at national level. At local level, the four service strands are building on the strong working relationships already in place.

The Education (Welfare) Act establishes a comprehensive framework for promoting regular school attendance and tackling the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving. Section 10 of the Act outlines the general functions of the Board which includes, To ensure that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education, To assist recognised schools in so far as it is practicable to meet their obligations under the Act, To advise and assist children and the parents of children who exhibit problems relating to attendance at , and behaviour in, school, To cooperate with such persons as the Board considers appropriate, and to coordinate the activities of the Board with the activities of those persons in so far as they relate to preventing non-attendance in recognised schools, To advise the Minister on any matters to which this Act relates. The board may, in the performance of its functions, consult with such persons as it considers appropriate.

Since its inception the central priority for the Board has been the establishment of the Educational Welfare Service. The NEWB's network of Educational Welfare Officers (EWOs) has been the key means by which the Board ensures that each child attends and benefits from education. The NEWB's Educational Welfare Service is now provided from 31 locations nationwide with ninety-one staff directly involved in service delivery. The EWS is one of the key components of the new integrated services under the Board. EWOs are appointed under Section 11 of the Act and they deliver a service to children, families and schools. They assist schools, students and parents to comply with their legal obligations under the Act.

The Board is keenly aware of the need to deliver a quality service that focuses on standards and outcomes in relation school attendance and placement matters. In 2009 the NEWB launched its second strategic plan "every child counts" 2010 – 2011, which is focused on achieving better outcomes for children's school attendance and participation. The NEWB's core commitment to secure every child's entitlement to an education is a key driver of the "every child counts" strategy.

A key part of the Board's strategy is to continue to scrutinise and strengthen the quality of work, monitor its effectiveness, strengthen the focus on measuring outcomes for children and families and put children at the centre of the work. In 2009, a new way of working was developed in partnership with staff and external consultants in an effort to standardise the intervention process and focus on early intervention. Operational guidelines were developed in consultation with staff and these were tested out in six Pilot sites (Dublin City (2), Mayo, Wicklow, Cork City, and Dundalk). School principals and Education Support Services (Home School Community Liaison Coordinators, School Completion Coordinators and Visiting Teachers for Travellers) participated in the Pilot areas, along with the NEWB teams. The evaluation of the Pilot indicated significant satisfaction from NEWB staff, school principals and education support services. The Pilots provide a good starting point for the work that is now getting under way on developing a more integrated response to school attendance, retention and participation.