Special Educational Needs: 1 Jun 2022: Written answers (KildareStreet.com)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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147. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details of the proposed opening of special education centres for children with special educational needs. [28247/22]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 and 148 together.

Special Education has been prioritised by Government in recent years.

This year, the Department of Education will spend in excess of €2 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing additional teaching and care supports for children with special educational needs.

This represents an increase of over 60% in total expenditure, since 2011.

This will bring the total number of Special Education Teachers in the mainstream school system to 14,385 in 2022, an increase of 48% since 2011 when 10,575 were funded.

An additional 380 teachers are also being provided to support students to be enrolled in new special classes and new special schools for the 2022/2023 school year.

Over 1,700 additional places in 287 new special classes will become available in 2022. Since 2011, the number of special classes has increased by 386%. Since 2011, the number of special classes in mainstream schools has increased from 548 to 2,148 for the 2021/2022 school year.

Provision has been made for 19,169 SNAs by the end of 2022, which will represent an increase of 81% since 2011.

My Department and the NCSE are working closely to maximise the number of new special classes that can be established in Dublin for the start of 2022/23 school year.

As an interim measure and to provide additional educational supports to those children awaiting a special class placement the Department of Education is considering a draft proposal to open a number of temporary special education centres in Dublin across strategic locations in close co-operation with the Education and Training Boards in Dublin (City of Dublin ETB and Dublin Dun Laoghaire ETB).

This draft proposal is very much a temporary option for those children who are awaiting a placement in a special class in a mainstream school. It is envisaged that this draft proposal, which would be voluntary for parents/guardians and children could present a more suitable option than Home Tuition for some children as they await a special class placement. Many of these families are having difficulties in securing a tutor for this work. Families would now have access to an alternative to Home Tuition providing them with

1. Access to fully qualified teachers removing the burden of sourcing an appropriately qualified home tutor

2. An opportunity for their child(ren) to interact with their peers and access education in a school/classroom environment which is ‘out-of-home’

3. Integration opportunities, where possible, on a case by case basis.

It is envisaged that these centres would follow the standard school day and school year. It is intended that the Centres will be located to facilitate engagement with local schools with a view to optimising integration opportunities for children in local schools. Integration and transition arrangements for local schools and the SEN Centres will be developed by the NCSE in conjunction with the Inspectorate and NEPs. These arrangements will be kept under continuing review by the ETBs, the Department and the NCSE.

The Centres would also be located in areas where additional special class provision is due to come on stream as various building projects progress.

I must highlight that this proposal is very much at an early stage and further significant work is required to progress the proposal and further work is required in relation to engaging with key stakeholders and advocacy groups on the draft proposal. A further meeting with advocacy groups on the draft proposal is scheduled for later this week.

Families can be assured that the Department and NCSE remain committed to opening special classes as quickly as possible and this proposal is offered as a child and family centred interim solution.

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.

This year, my Department will spend in excess of €2 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing a wide range of schemes and supports for children with special educational needs.

This includes additional teaching and care supports.

As a result, the number of special education teachers, special needs assistants and special class and school places are at unprecedented levels.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide.

Over the last two years, my Department and the NCSE have worked closely on a more streamlined and joined up planning process which has ensured a targeted approach to meet demand for special needs placements ahead of each new school-year.

I am satisfied that this more joined up approach is delivering. Through this intensive intervention, we have seen over 300 special classes, providing over 1,800 new places, opened nationwide for the 2021/22 school-year.

I also acknowledge that notwithstanding the extent of this investment, there are some parts of the country where increases in population and other issues have led to concerns regarding a shortage of school places.

I can confirm that the NCSE is aware of an identified need for additional special classes for students with autism in the area referenced by the Deputy. Work has been underway with stakeholders for a number of years in this area to meet the demand for places.

NCSE has well established structures in place for engaging with schools and parents and seeks to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing special class placements.

NCSE is continuing to engage with schools regarding the establishment of additional special classes for 2022/23 and beyond. There are specific plans in place to open additional special classes and every support will be made available to progress their opening in the shortest possible timeframe with a particular focus on September next.

It is of course open to any school to engage with the NCSE to establish a special class.

My Department is committed, in conjunction with the NCSE, to continue to work with parents, schools, patrons and all stakeholders to ensure that there are sufficient appropriate places for students with additional needs and to support all students to achieve their potential.

I want to reassure the Deputy also that my Department will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all children are successful in accessing an education

The list of special schools is available on the NCSE website at the following link:

ncse.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/NCSE-Special-School-Allocations-21-22-website-03-12-2021.pdf

and for special classes at:

ncse.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Final-2021_2022-Sp-Class-list-25_03_22.pdf.

As your query refers to an individual school, I will arrange to have it referred to the NCSE for its attention and direct reply.