Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

254. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there is any specific restriction on the appointment of a home school liaison officer for special schools. [46969/22]

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

255. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason that a school (details supplied) in Cork does not have a home school liaison officer. [46970/22]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 254 and 255 together.

The DEIS programme is the Department of Education’s policy response to the issue of educational disadvantage. The Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) Scheme is an integral element of the DEIS programme. It is a school-based intervention provided to DEIS schools to address the needs of pupils at most risk of educational disadvantage. The role of the HSCL Coordinator is to work primarily with the salient adults in the child’s life, in order to empower them, so that they can better support their children to attend school, participate in education and develop positive attitudes to life-long learning. Central to the HSCL initiative, is the identification of educational needs and the provision of a tailored and proportionate response to those needs, through a range of interventions, which are evidence-based, focused and structured.

HSCL supports are provided to all DEIS Urban and DEIS Post-Primary schools. In the 2022/23 school year there are 529 HSCL posts allocated to provide supports to approximately 207,000 students under the DEIS programme. A further 4 posts are allocated to support schools participating in the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy (NTRIS) STAR pilot working with Traveller and Roma students.

Enabling children with special educational needs (SEN) to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my Department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). This year, my Department 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. As a result, the number of special education teachers, special needs assistants and special class and special school places are at unprecedented levels. Staffing ratios in special schools are significantly lower than in mainstream schools and are intended to ensure that the needs of students can be met effectively. While the benefits of having good links between the home and school are acknowledged for all students, there are no current plans to extend DEIS programme measures to special schools.