Written answers

Thursday, 15 November 2012

Department of Education and Skills

National Educational Psychological Service

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) in County Cavan will be assessed by the National Educational Psychological Services; the reason the service has not engaged with the person; if NEPS will meet and assess the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50629/12]

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I can inform the Deputy that all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA), full details of which are on the Department's website. Where a NEPS psychologist is not assigned to a school, authorities therein may access psychological assessments through SCPA. Under this scheme schools can have an assessment carried out by a member of the panel of private psychologists approved by NEPS, and NEPS will pay the psychologist the fees for this assessment directly.

It should also be noted that in common with many other psychological services, NEPS encourages a staged assessment process, whereby each school takes responsibility for a pupil's 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.

I have made enquiries in respect of this case and can inform the deputy that the child in question has been brought to the attention of the NEPS psychologist attached to his school. A meeting has already taken place in this term with both the parents and teacher of the child and the review of his current situation and intervention therein is currently ongoing within the school. Should the parents of the child in question have concerns in this regard I would suggest that they should discuss the matter, in the first instance, with the school Principal.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.