Written answers

Tuesday, 21 March 2017

Department of Education and Skills

Special Educational Needs

Photo of Fiona O'LoughlinFiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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260. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which a person(details supplied) can continue education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13002/17]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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This Government is committed to ensuring that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network.

Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a range of appropriate educational interventions, delivered by fully qualified professional teachers, with the support of Special Needs Assistants and the appropriate school curriculum.

In respect of children with ASD who cannot be accommodated in mainstream education, they may be enrolled in special classes or special schools where more intensive and supportive interventions are provided. Special classes are for students who have a recommendation for a special class placement in their professional reports.

Parents/guardians of children with special educational needs, who may need advice or are experiencing difficulties in locating a school placement should contact their local Special Educational Needs Organiser who can assist in identifying an appropriate educational placement for their child. Contact details are available on the NCSE website at www.ncse.ie.

The SENO can also advise parents in relation to supports which may be available to support children with special educational needs, including special transport arrangements which may be made available.

In addition, the NCSE has published a Guide for Parents and Guardians of Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs on Choosing a School, which is also available on their website.

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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261. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the National Behaviour Support Service removed 50% of funding support for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13006/17]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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My Department allocates 75 Behaviour for Learning Programme posts to schools through the National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS).  The NBSS Behaviour for Learning Programme explore ways in which an individual teacher can develop a school ‘Behaviour for Learning Programme’ specifically targeted at students in need of intensive individualised intervention.  The allocation under the Behaviour for Learning Programme is granted to schools on a yearly basis.

Over the past 4 years the NBSS has gradually reduced the number of schools with 2 teachers under the Behaviour for Learning Programme to allow for the granting of a Behaviour for Learning Programme teaching post to a greater number of schools.

NBSS began partnering the school, to which the Deputy refers, in the area of behaviour support in the 2008-2009 school year and in the 2010-2011 the school was allocated 2 Behaviour for Learning Programme teachers. The possible reduction in the Behaviour for Learning Programme allocation for 2017-2018 was first conveyed to school management in 2014. This allocation is being reduced to one teacher from the start of the 2017-2018 school year to allow another school with a similar profile and with similar student behaviour difficulties to benefit from the intensive, individualised support which the Behaviour for Learning Programme provides for their students.

Like all schools with Behaviour for Learning Programme Teachers, the school in question continues to have access to all student and teacher interventions and programmes under the NBSS behaviour in-school curricular framework including the support of an NBSS Regional Development Officer.

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