Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

97. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 358 to 362, inclusive, of March 2014, in view of the fact that his Department’s document Model A required that there would be advice and supervision from an ABA specialist for teachers and that the class teacher would receive ABA training prior to taking responsibility for the class, if he will confirm whether these two requirements became outdated along with Model A or if he will provide details of the control and oversight process that is currently in place to supervise externally the use of ABA in over 500 ASD units; and if his Department has consulted with the division of behaviour analysis on the adequacy and quality of this control mechanism in view of his reply that the SESS is a support service for teachers and is not involved in the supervision of the implementation of ABA. [15577/14]

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

As I previously advised the Deputy the Model concept became outdated in that it refers to specific models of provision. It was recognised that the model concept was complex and multipurpose. It was determined that parents of children with autism should have three distinct choices available to them; their child could either attend a mainstream class in their local school with additional supports as required, they could attend a special class in a mainstream school or they could attend a special school. The Deputy will be aware that while some children with autism can thrive in a mainstream class, special classes have been specifically designed to meet the needs of those who require more intensive support. Special classes for children with autism in mainstream schools reflect the model A concept.

Qualified primary teachers are equipped to teach special classes for children with autism. In addition 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. Central to this is the Special Education Support Service (SESS).

For the period between 2008 and 2010 teachers were appointed to new autism classes in advance of the class opening to facilitate CPD for the teachers in question. The CPD continues to be provided by SESS, but due to the smaller numbers of teachers requiring training the appointments are no longer made in advance. Funding is also made available through the SESS support scheme enabling teachers to identify their own CPD needs and attend appropriate and relevant courses not provided directly by the SESS.

The SESS has a number of teams involved in the provision of CPD and support to teachers of students with challenging behaviour; the Challenging Behaviour Team, the Autism Team and the Contemporary Applied Behaviour Analysis Team. Thirteen members of the SESS are directly involved in these teams. I am satisfied that SESS is making appropriate provision to support teachers and schools in this area. The SESS has not consulted with the Division of Behaviour Analysis in this regard. Two full-time SESS team members hold a BCBA qualification with three others currently having post-graduate qualifications in this area.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

98. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 358 to 362, inclusive, of March 2014, in view of the encouragement of the Ombudsman for Children's Office in October 2012 that greater clarity on his Department's policy on the education of children with autism would be useful for schools and parents, if he will provide a complete list of all the current departmental policies that specifically relate to the education of children with autism in view of his reply that the boards of management of schools have a formal role under the Education Act to ensure that all departmental policies are adhered to in their schools. [15578/14]

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

My Department's policy on the education of children with autism resides within the overall policies on the education of children including those with special educational needs. The relevant circulars are available on www.education.gov.ie. Boards of Management and School staff are also supported in this regard by the Special Education Support Service, the National Educational Psychological Service and the National Council for Special Education. The following websites may be of interest to the Deputy in this regard www.SESS.ie and www.NCSE.ie.

I previously outlined in the response to the Parliamentary Question to which the Deputy refers that my Department commenced collating a statement of existing policy on the education of children with autism last year. Subsequently I requested the NCSE to prepare Policy Advice on the Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. I am confident that the policy advice, when it has been delivered will provide the level of clarity which was the purpose of the Ombudsman's encouragement.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

99. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 358 to 362, inclusive, of March 2014, the reason he has been unable to obtain a specific date or even an indicative date of the year when Model A became outdated; and the reason he made no reference in his reply to his Department's documentation that was issued to the schools replacing the Model A document. [15579/14]

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

As I previously advised the Deputy the Model A document in question became outdated in that it refers to specific models of provision. I do not have a specific date from which the prescribed model became outdated. However from 2006/2007 it was recognised that the model concept was complex and multipurpose. It was determined that parents of children with autism should have three distinct choices available to them; their child could either attend a mainstream class in their local school with additional supports as required, they could attend a special class in a mainstream school or they could attend a special school. The Deputy will be aware that while some children with autism can thrive in a mainstream class, special classes have been specifically designed to meet the needs of those who require more intensive support.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

100. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 358 to 362, inclusive, of 25 March 2014, in view of the fact the research by Howard et al in 2005 stated the ABA group had significantly higher mean standard scores in almost all skill domains measured and assessed by independent examiners than the other two groups assessed, if he will now answer the question previously asked; and if he now accepts the two separate pieces of research clearly demonstrate that, fully accepting it only relates to some children and not all children with autism, the sole use of an ABA approach to educate some children with autism was clearly shown to be more effective than the alternative approaches used in the studies. [15599/14]

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

The Deputy is aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is currently preparing Policy Advice on the Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The NCSE has advised that the policy advice will be delivered in the spring of 2015 and will draw upon findings gathered from an extensive consultation process which has already commenced.

As I previously advised the Deputy my officials brought the two pieces of research, to which he again refers, to the attention of the NCSE, in the context of their preparation of this policy advice. I expect that the NCSE final report will reflect the broadest possible range of views and provide recommendations which will assist the development of policy for future years. As outlined previously I have not personally read the research in question. The research, its merits and issues arising will be considered in the context of the NCSE policy advice report.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

101. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 358 to 362, inclusive, of 25 March 2014, noting the specific comments in the reply that it was he who requested the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, to prepare policy advice on educational provision for children with autism, if he will explain the reason nothing appears to have been done by his Department over the past ten years regarding the complete absence of policy advice from the NCSE in view of the NCSE's formal role under section 20 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act to advise him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15600/14]

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

My Department's policy on the education of children with autism resides within the overall policies on the education of children with special educational needs. In the main these policies are non-condition specific. However my Department is conscious of the on-going need to adapt policies and to develop new policies as new research or learning becomes available.

As the Deputy is aware a key function of the National Council for Special Education, as set out under Section 20 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004, is to provide expert, independent, evidence-informed policy advice on special education for children and adults.

In recent years the NCSE has provided policy advice to my Department on a range of issues including the Future Role of Special Schools and Classes in Ireland, the Education of Children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing and the Education of Students with Challenging Behaviour Arising from an Emotional /Behavioural Disorder. In 2013 the NCSE published its policy advice on Supporting Students with Special Educational needs in Schools.

I previously advised the Deputy that I have now requested the NCSE to prepare Policy Advice on the Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The NCSE has advised that the policy advice will be delivered in the spring of 2015 and will draw upon findings gathered from an extensive consultation process which has already commenced. I expect that the NCSE final report will reflect the broadest possible range of views and provide recommendations which will assist the development of policy for future years.