Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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32. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the fact that children with additional learning needs cannot access an ECCE place and additional specialist preschool support; her views on whether this is appropriate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37971/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I am aware of the specific matter raised by the Deputy. Officials from my Department are in contact with colleagues in the Health Service Executive to examine the range of issues involved for a child seeking to access both specialist pre-school services and the ECCE scheme simultaneously.

While there is no specific provision in the ECCE rules which prevents a child attending a specialist HSE pre-school from also attending the ECCE programme, there remains issues to be addressed. A critical question is whether attending two parallel pre-school services, on a five days a week basis, is in the best interests of the child, particularly where this might lead to an individual child attending structured, education focused pre-school services for up to 6 hours a day. The Deputy will be aware that pre-school education has been purposely designed to be shorter in hours than Junior Infants in Primary School in recognition of the younger age of the child and other developmental considerations.

A meeting is scheduled between officials from my Department and the HSE to examine these issues. Following this consideration, I have asked my officials to revert to the Deputy, particularly in the context of the individual case previously raised. I would like to clearly state that the paramount consideration in examining this matter is the best interests of the child.

The Deputy may be aware that several thousand children with disabilities access and participate in the ECCE programme every year. The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) introduced in September 2016, and which continues to be rolled out, has greatly assisted ECCE services to offer inclusive services and to better meet the needs of children with disabilities. Whilst AIM provides supports under 7 levels, some of which are universal and some targeted, we know that over 6000 children with more complex disabilities have so far benefited from the targeted supports. An independent review of the first year of AIM's operation is expected to be finalised before the end of the year.