Written answers

Wednesday, 20 June 2018

Department of Education and Skills

National Educational Psychological Service

Photo of Pearse DohertyPearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

121. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an appointment for an assessment from the National Educational Psychological Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27010/18]

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

I can inform the Deputy that my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools involving direct access to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries arising, access to support and development work to build school capacity to support students, direct support in the event of a critical incident and access to individual pupil casework input via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments. (SCPA).

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.

Should the parents of the child, the subject of the Deputy’s question, have specific concerns about his educational progress they should, in the first instance, speak to the Principal of the school concerned, with a view to raising these concerns with the local NEPS service.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Photo of Pearse DohertyPearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

122. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a school (details supplied) will avail of the National Educational Psychological Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27011/18]

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

I can inform the Deputy that my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries arising, and access to individual pupil casework via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments. (SCPA).

By way of clarification NEPs psychologists are recruited via regional panels formed from national recruitment competitions administered by the Public Appointments service. The assignment of a NEPS psychologist to the school to which the Deputy alludes in his question, was the subject of a vacancy and the school was given access to the SCPA process in relation to its pupils casework needs.  While every effort was made by PAS to fill the post from the existing panel in the region these ultimately proved unsuccessful and the panel has now been exhausted.

I can inform the Deputy however that a new national competition will be launched very shortly from which new regional recruitment panels will be formed with a view to filling vacancies in the coming academic year including the vacancy in the NEPS North-Western Region .

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.