Written answers

Tuesday, 14 July 2020

Department of Education and Skills

Special Educational Needs

Photo of Emer HigginsEmer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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521. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the additional supports that are available to children that have a dual diagnosis of autism and verbal dyspraxia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14672/20]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's policy is to provide for the inclusive education of children with special educational needs, including those with Autism and dyspraxia, in mainstream school settings, unless such a placement would not be in the best interests of the child concerned, or the children with whom they will be educated.

This policy ensures that the majority of children with special education needs attend mainstream classes with their peers.

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, Special Education Teachers and the appropriate school curriculum.

But some students may find it difficult to manage full-time placement in mainstream and so placement in a Special Class or Special School setting where lower pupil:teacher ratios apply and there are other supports available.

There is therefore not one preferred educational environment for children with SEN, rather there is a continuum of provision which takes into account the assessed educational needs of individual pupils.

As such, my Department’s policy focuses on ensuring that all students can have access to an education appropriate to meeting their needs and abilities

My Department invests €1.9 Billion or almost 20% of its total educational budget annually on making additional provision for children with special educational needs.

This represents an increase of over 50% in total expenditure since 2011, at which point €1.247 Billion per annum was provided.

The range of supports and services this funding provides includes provision for:

- 13,500 additional Special Education Teachers in mainstream schools and

- 17,000 Special Needs Assistants by the end of this year.

Other resources which are provided to schools to support children with Special Educational Needs including Autism include the following:

- The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS)

- Assistive technology.

- Continued Professional development for teachers.

- Access to the Special School transport scheme.

- Access to special equipment and furniture where required.

- Enhanced capitation grants.

- Adapted school buildings.

- Access to SEN summer programmes

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