Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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149. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the Partnering for Change programme developed in Canada in 2013 and the benefits it has had for young persons affected by dyspraxia; if the pilot programme announced by him for certain pilot schools in September 2018 has included learning from the Canadian model; the details of the particular schools to be included in the pilot programme; if the programme will be extended to include all schools in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28553/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I recently announced that a demonstration project to provide in-school and pre-school therapy services will be introduced for the 2018/19 school year.

The project will be managed and co-ordinated by the National Council for Special Education.

The demonstration project is being developed by a Working Group which includes representatives from the Departments of Education, Children and Youth Affairs, Health, and the Health Service Executive.

I can confirm that the Working Group has received a copy of  the report on the Partnering for Change Programme, which was developed in Canada in 2013, and that the findings of this report will be taken into account in developing the project. 

The purpose of the project is to test a model of tailored therapeutic supports that allows for early intervention in terms of providing speech and language and occupational therapy within ‘educational settings’. This innovative pilot will complement existing HSE funded provision of essential therapy services. 

The project is taking place in Community Healthcare Organisation (CHO) 7 Region of South West Dublin, Kildare and West Wicklow.

This region has been selected to ensure that the pre-school and in-school therapy model can be tested in both urban and rural locations and with a suitable mix of various types of schools and pre-schools.

The schools selected will therefore be from this region, which means that, unfortunately, schools from the Donegal region cannot be included at this time.

Decisions in relation to the extension of the service to other Counties, including County Donegal, or to extend the service nationally, will be taken following an evaluation of the existing informed pilot phase.

76 schools, including a representative sample of primary, post primary, and special schools will take part in the project.

This will include:

- Schools with significant levels of educational disadvantage.

- A mixture of urban, large, and small schools.

- Schools with high levels of support needs as identified under the new special education teaching allocation model.

- Mainstream schools which have special classes

- Special schools with significant levels of therapy support needs.

- Schools of various types including Irish medium schools.

Pre-school settings associated with primary schools participating in the project are being included in order to provide for therapy interventions to be made at the earliest possible time and to create linkages between pre-school and primary school provision. 

The list of the participating schools and pre schools is currently being finalised and will be available shortly.

The project aims to develop a more cohesive, collaborative approach to delivering supports to children by allowing therapists and educational professionals to work together in schools.