Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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266. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 103 of 28 March 2013, the reason training and supervision in ABA is optional for the teachers of children with autism and is not obligatory, as recommended in the Special Education Support Service: Information on Autism document. [26989/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As I previously advised the Deputy, my Department provides for a comprehensive system of continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers in the area of special educational needs including teachers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Central to this is the Special Education Support Service (SESS).

My Department has satisfied itself that research does not support the exclusive usage of any one approach as a basis for national educational provision for children with autism. It is for this reason that the preferred policy is for a child centred approach based on the individual child's needs. This approach is supported by ongoing monitoring of educational objectives to determine whether a child is benefiting from a particular intervention or range of interventions and to allow for appropriate adjustment to objectives and strategies.

Reflective of the important role of CPD, my Department, through SESS, has put in place a training programme for teachers in a number of autism-specific interventions including Treatment and Education of Autistic Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) and Picture Exchange Communications System (PECS).

The document referred to by the Deputy relates to information compiled in 2004 by SESS at a time when teachers and schools were seeking information and greater clarity around Autism. The reference to supervised training was included in a section of the document which sought to explain Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) as one of two main approaches at that time.

My Department is conscious of the need to adapt existing policies and to develop new policies as new research or learning becomes available. The National Council for Special Education has a formal role under Section 20.1(j) of EPSEN to advise the Minister 'in relation to any matter relating to the education of children and others with disabilities'. I have now requested the NCSE to prepare Policy Advice on the Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The NCSE have commissioned research which will not be finalised until mid to late 2014 and I expect that this research will inform much of the work in preparing the policy advice. Accordingly it is not expected that the report will be finalised until early 2015.