Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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225. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if an extra year on the ECCE scheme will be awarded to a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12198/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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It is the policy of my Department that all children with Special Educational Needs 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.

Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are provided to assist recognised schools to cater for pupils with disabilities, who have additional and significant care needs, in an educational context and where the nature of these care needs have been outlined in medical and other professional reports as being so significant that a pupil will require additional adult assistance in order to be able to attend school and to participate in education. 

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which is an independent statutory agency, is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school.

The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in Department Circular 0030/2014, which is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie, in order that students who have care needs can access SNA support as and when it is needed.  The Department’s policy is to ensure that every child who is assessed as needing SNA support will receive access to such support.

The enrolment of a child to a school is a matter, in the first instance, for the parent of the child and the Board of Management of a school. However, parents who may need advice or assistance in transitioning their child to primary school, or are experiencing difficulties in securing a school placement should contact their local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.

My Department does not provide funding to pre-school services other than to early intervention classes in recognised primary schools or special schools.  Supports for childcare, including pre-school education, are provided by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

The principal vehicle for the delivery of pre-school education is the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Scheme which provides early childhood care and education for children of pre-school age. 

Since ECCE was first introduced, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs has worked to improve the pre-school experience for children with disabilities and to optimise their early development.

The two main enhancements are:

- ECCE entitlement currently averages at 61 weeks, up from 38 weeks, and it will expand further to 76 weeks from September 2018. This is in keeping with good international practice.

- The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) has been introduced with 7 different levels of support for children with disabilities. Over 4,000 children have so far benefited from targeted supports and many multiples of this from universal supports available under AIM.

Details of the supports which are available under AIM can be found atwww.preschoolaccess.iewhich contains comprehensive information on the access and inclusion model and on how to apply for the new schemes and supports. 

I would like to advise the Deputy that queries in relation to the operation of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Scheme should be addressed the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.