Written answers

Wednesday, 20 May 2020

Department of Education and Skills

Asylum Seekers

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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337. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the educational supports available for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6624/20]

Photo of Joe McHughJoe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides a range of supports to schools to meet the identified additional educational needs of the children and young people in the primary and post-primary systems.  These include additional resource teachers, special educational needs supports, and services from  National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), Schools participating in the DEIS Programme may also avail of the Home School Community Liaison and School Completion Programmes, overseen by Tusla Education Support Service (TESS), and additional funding to support interventions for children at risk of poor educational outcomes by virtue of their socio-economic background.

All mainstream schools receive an allocation of special education teaching support to provide additional teaching support for pupils with special educational needs or learning support needs, including English Additional Language (EAL) needs, in accordance with the criteria set put in DES Circular 007/2019 and 008/2019.  The Special Education Teaching allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile.  Schools are provided with a total allocation which includes a baseline allocation for the school and an allocation based on the school’s profile.  

Where schools can demonstrate that they have high concentrations of pupils requiring EAL they can apply for Additional Allocations for Schools with High Concentrations of Pupils that require Language Support (EAL) in accordance with the procedures set out in the primary or post primary school staffing schedules for the 2020/21 school year (Circular 18/2020).

Tusla Education Support Services (TESS) of the Child and Family Agency is the statutory  body which can assist in securing a school placement.  I am advised that, with the support of TESS, an application has been made for a school place for September, 2020 for the individual referred to by the Deputy.  My Department has provided a Home Tuition Grant pending this placement.

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