Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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585. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the additional supports a crèche can avail of for a child with EBD. [24818/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is designed to support the meaningful participation of children with disabilities in the universal Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, within mainstream pre-school settings. To avail of targeted supports, the parent and the ECCE provider jointly make applications for AIM supports. AIM is a needs-based model, with availability of supports dependent on the needs of the child in the context of the pre-school setting the child is attending. Delivery of supports is not based on specific diagnoses.

AIM provides both universal and targeted supports. Universal supports help pre-schools to promote and foster an inclusive culture. Staff in early learning and care settings get guidance on developing their policies and procedures so that every child can be included, where possible, in the ECCE pre-school programme. Training is also available to ensure inclusion in the setting is built on a strong foundation. Training courses and the Leadership for Inclusion (LINC) Level 6 programme are available free of charge to help staff in ECCE settings to support all children who have additional needs in their setting.

In addition to universal supports, targeted AIM supports are provided through Levels 4-7 of AIM. Level 4 of AIM involves provision of information, knowledge and mentoring to ECCE service providers by Early Years Specialists within Better Start.

Level 5 of AIM provides equipment, materials and small-scale capital expenditure. Resources provided to ECCE settings have included the AIM Inclusive Play pack, which is a set of resources to support inclusive practice within pre-school settings. Play packs were delivered nationwide to every setting providing ECCE sessions in 2018. These resources, which include equipment, toys and materials, also support the development of coordination and audio, visual and tactile skills among all children, and in particular, children with a disability. The tactile nature of the active play can help to support children's emotional and behavioural development.

Increased capitation provided by AIM Level 7, if required, allows the ECCE setting to fund additional support or to lower the adult to child ratio in the pre-school room. These additional resources support all children in the pre-school room to engage meaningfully in activities in the room.