Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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140. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children in receipt of home tuition in Fingal; the total number of hours provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6270/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The purpose of the Special Education Home Tuition Scheme is to provide a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme also provides a compensatory educational service for children with special educational needs seeking an educational placement and provision is made for early educational intervention for children with autism.

In terms of the number of children in receipt of home tuition for 2016/17 school year, my Department does not maintain statistics for specific areas within counties.  Statistics available show that there are:

- 30 children with a diagnosis of ASD, aged between 2.5yrs and 3yrs of age

- 259 children with a diagnosis of ASD aged over 3 years and

- 85 children with a significant medical condition currently availing of home tuition in City and County Dublin. 

Children aged 2.5 years with a diagnosis of ASD are not eligible for enrolment in an early intervention class and qualify for 10 hours tuition per week under the terms of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme should the parent wish to avail of it. Home Tuition continues from their 3rd birthday if no placement in a school based autism early intervention class is available for them.  The number of hours tuition per week will then increase to 20 for eligible children.

When a child with an autism diagnosis reaches 4 years of age they may be accommodated in a number of settings. In such circumstances, a school placement can be a place in a mainstream class in a mainstream school, a place in a special class attached to a mainstream school, a place in an early intervention class for children with ASD (where the child will not reach the age of 6 during the school year), or a place in a special school.  Where there is no educational placement available, my Department will consider applications under the Home Tuition Grant Scheme, where the child can receive 20 hours home tuition per week and until a placement is available.

The Home Tuition Grant Scheme is an interim measure to provide for education until an educational placement becomes available. When a school placement becomes available the Home Tuition Grant will be discontinued. 

My Department also operates a Home Tuition Grant Scheme for children, other than those with special education needs, who do not have a school place, are without the offer of a school place and for whom a school place is being actively sought.  The purpose of this Grant Scheme is to provide funding towards provision of a compensatory educational service for children who do not have a school place. Application forms for this Home Tuition Grant Scheme are available from the local Educational Welfare Officer of the Child and Family Agency.

In addition, my Department operates a Maternity Related Absences Home Tuition scheme. The purpose of the Maternity Related Home Tuition scheme is to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory education service for girls  who are unable to attend school due to pregnancy. Statistics for these schemes are held on a county basis only.  Currently in County Dublin there are 16 children who have been granted 9 hours per week under  these two schemes.