Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

142. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the decision to withdraw home tuition can be reviewed in the case of a person (details supplied); if the restoration of support for home tuition in this case will be restored in circumstances in which specialist assistance is available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48552/18]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The policy of this Department is 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.

The greater proportion of children with ASD attend mainstream class, where they may access additional supports if required.

Some students with ASD, although academically able to access the curriculum in mainstream, may find it too difficult to manage full-time placement there and placement in an ASD special class is an option for them.

Special school placements are provided for other students with ASD and very complex special needs who wouldn’t manage in a mainstream school even for part of the week.

My Department therefore provides for a continuum of provision which includes mainstream school placements with additional supports, or for pupils who require more specialist interventions, special class and special school placements.

This facilitates access to individualised education programmes which can be supported by Special Needs Assistants and fully qualified professional teachers who may draw from a range of autism-specific interventions, including Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), Treatment and Education of Autistic Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) and Picture Exchange Communications System (PECS) as well as the appropriate school curriculum with the option, where possible, of full or partial integration and interaction with other pupils.

The use of ABA as part of the range of interventions may be particularly useful for addressing behavioural issues. My Department supports the use of ABA and training is provided for teachers in its use.

Where students with Special Educational Needs experience difficulties, the first course of action is engagement with first level services provided by the Department of Education and Skills (National Educational Psychological Service, Special Education Support Service, National Behavioural Support Service, National Council for Special Education) and Health Services Executive (HSE)/ HSE funded services.

If a parent of a student feels that a student is currently experiencing continuing difficulties they should request through their school a multi-disciplinary school based review involving NEPS, the local SENO and other relevant professionals.

The local SENOs are available to advise parents in relation to supports which may be available to support children with special educational needs. The local SENO contact details are available on www.ncse.ie.

The Home Tuition grant scheme provides funding towards a compensatory educational service for children with special educational needs seeking an educational placement for whom such a placement is not available. The Home Tuition grant is provided as an interim measure only, until a placement has been identified by the NCSE.

The NCSE local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) has confirmed that a school placement is available for the child referred to by the Deputy. The grant is not available where a placement has been identified by the NCSE.

Similarly, failure to enrol a child in a school placement at any point during the academic year will not give rise to eligibility under the scheme.

The Home Tuition grant is not an optional alternative to a school placement.