Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

175. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to double the grant and increase the hours of tuition granted for a single child under the home tuition grant scheme in cases in which there are two children in a family eligible under the scheme, in view of the fact that only 12 families have more than one child benefiting from the scheme; the annual extra cost of such a change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11516/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Ensuring that children with special educational needs are supported and given the opportunity to reach their full potential is a key priority for this government.

My Department's policy aims to ensure 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.

Some students, although academically able to access the curriculum in mainstream, may find it too difficult to manage full-time placement there. This can be due to significant difficulties in areas such as behaviour or sensory needs which have not been ameliorated, even with appropriate intervention, in mainstream.

Other children may have such complex needs that the recommendation in their professional reports state that they are best placed in a special school. 

Where there is no placement available for a child with Special Educational Needs, my Department will consider applications under the Home Tuition Grant Scheme, where a student can receive up to 20 hours home tuition per week as an interim measure until a placement becomes available.

Home Tuition Grant allocations to siblings generally reflect the school grouping principle. This is where one teacher is allocated to a class of six pupils at the appropriate educational level, primary or post primary. Within State-funded classes, differentiated needs are accommodated through a differentiated approach in teaching.

It is expected that Home Tutors should have the capacity to develop and deliver tuition in an environment which includes other children.

However, my Department recognises that it may be difficult to cater for the significant differentiated needs of some siblings through a differentiated approach in tuition at Home. To provide for such instances, under the 2017/18 Home Tuition scheme, my Department grants siblings a combined allocation which includes a 50% increase on the standard home tuition allocation. This is allocated on initial application without the requirement for additional supporting documentation.

In addition, my Department will consider applications for separate allocations where evidence is provided that siblings cannot be tutored together due to their significant differentiated needs. Applications for separate allocations for siblings are considered on a case by case basis.

As outlined above, my Department’s Home Tuition Scheme makes provision for the needs of siblings. I do not intend to make changes to the 2017/18 Home Tuition scheme.

The cost of providing funding for 1 child towards the provision of 20 hours home tuition per week for the current school year is approx. €31,000 per annum.