Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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396. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when children (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. [13868/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service 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).

NEPS in common with many other psychological services and best international practice, 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 maximise 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.

I have made enquiries in the matter of the children, the subject of the Deputy's question, and find that although a NEPS psychologist was involved with both children, and on two occasions each, in 2018 there are currently, I understand, no outstanding requests for involvement of NEPS by the school with either boy.

I would advise therefore that if the parents of the children, have concerns about their current situation they might raise them, in the first instance, with the principal of the school involved with a view to her raising the matter with their local NEPS service for further advice, or if appropriate, direct intervention, including assessment.

I hope this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.