Written answers

Thursday, 23 June 2022

Department of Education and Skills

Education Welfare Service

Photo of Patricia RyanPatricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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350. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of education welfare officers in each cluster in counties Kildare, Laois and Offaly in tabular form; the number of vacancies in each cluster; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33401/22]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) comprises the School Completion Programme, Home School Community Liaison Scheme (HSCL) and the Educational Welfare Service (EWS).  The EWS operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, which emphasizes the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. The EWS deal with children and families who have difficulties in relation to school attendance, participation, retention. This is a statutory service and its primary role is to ensure that every child either attends school regularly or otherwise receives a certain minimum education, to ensure and secure every child’s entitlement to education.

In general when there is an EWO vacancy and a national panel in place, vacant positions are generally offered to those on the panel in the first instance. The recruitment campaign to establish a new national EWO panel is underway and will be in place by August 2022.

In the interim,  where vacancies arise TESS management are meeting with the local school Principals and frontline staff to ensure that collaboratively all Home School Community Liaison (HSCL), SCP and EWS capacity is prioritised to provide interventions for children and young people in relation to school attendance concerns.

County EWOs in post Vacant EWO posts
Laois 2 0
Offaly 1 1
Kildare 1 3

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