Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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114. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, is available for students throughout the summer months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23374/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychology service to all primary and post primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (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.

In common with many other psychological services and best international practice, NEPS has adopted a consultative model of service. The focus is on empowering teachers to intervene effectively with pupils whose needs range from mild to severe and transient to enduring. Psychologists use a problem solving and solution oriented consultative approach to maximize positive outcomes for these pupils. NEPS encourages schools to use a continuum based assessment and intervention process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and remedial intervention for pupils with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties. Teachers may consult their NEPS psychologist should they need to at this stage in the process. Only in the event of a failure to make reasonable progress, in spite of the school's best efforts in consultation with NEPS, will the psychologist become involved with an individual child for intensive intervention or assessment.

This system allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent cases and also to help many more children indirectly than could be seen individually. It also ensures that children are not referred unnecessarily for psychological intervention.

THE NEPS services to pupil set out above are moderated through the school and delivered on school premises and during normal school opening period and so would not, save in the most exceptional of circumstances, be conducted during the summer school closure.

Should any parent or guardian have concerns as to the educational, social or emotional development of their child they should, in the first instance, raise these concerns with the Principal of the school concerned with a view to his/her discussing the matter with the assigned NEPS psychologist or local NEPS office.

I can inform the Deputy that NEPS psychologists provide direct advice and assistance to schools experiencing a critical incident or traumatic event and attend on-site at the school, when invited to do so by school authorities, throughout the year as events dictate, including during school closure periods.