Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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315. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the options available to a child (details supplied). [6560/23]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:

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).

For 2023, the spend by my Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my Department will spend over €2.6 billion providing supports to children and young people with special educational needs and their schools.

This level of educational funding and support is unprecedented and represents in excess of 27% of the Department’s total allocation for 2023.

This includes funding to support children with SEN in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers and special needs assistants.

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

Over the last two to three years, my Department and the NCSE have introduced a number of strategic initiatives to plan for and provide sufficient mainstream, special class and special school places.

These initiatives are bearing fruit with over 600 new special classes sanctioned at primary level, almost 300 new special classes sanctioned at post-primary level and five new special schools established over the last three years.

The NCSE have sanctioned 9 new special classes in Co. Carlow over the last 3 years. Of these, 7 special classes are at primary level and 2 are at post primary level.

There are a total of 45 special classes in Co. Carlow. Of these, 30 special classes are at primary level and 15 are at post primary level.

My Department is engaging intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes for the next school year 2023/2024. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class places, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level.

At local level, the NCSE is continuing to engage with schools regarding which children can be supported to attend a mainstream class and with regard to the establishment of additional special classes for the next school year 2023/2024. Every support will be made available to schools to progress the opening of special classes in the shortest possible timeframe.

In relation to the student referred to by the Deputy, the NCSE have advised my Department of the following:

As ASD Early Intervention classes are for children aged 3 – 5 years, once a child turns 5 they’re no longer eligible to continue in the class the following September.

It is expected that the student would enrol in a primary school for 2023/24. The school where the class is currently hosted is a junior boys school, except for the ASD Early Intervention classes, which are co-educational.

The local SENO has engaged with the student’s parents and has outlined the continuum of educational provision, the resources available in a mainstream setting and the criteria for enrolling in either a special class or a special school.

The SENO has advised the student's parents that enrolment in a special class should only be considered where it has been demonstrated that a student is unable to learn effectively in a mainstream class for most or all of the school day even with additional supports

To access a special ASD class place for junior infants a student must have a recent report from a psychologist or psychiatrist stating that s/he has ASD as per DSM or ICD criteria and s/he has complex or severe learning needs that require the support of a special class setting and the reasons why this is the case. Where the professional gives a suite of options, the most inclusive educational placement recommended would be considered the appropriate placement in keeping with the spirit of the EPSEN Act (2004).

Based on the documents available to the SENO, it was recommended to the parent that the most inclusive option would be a mainstream placement.

The local SENO remains available to assist and advise the parents. The SENO can be contacted directly using the contact details available at: ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list.

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

Information on the list of schools with special classes, the types and locations of these classes is published on the NCSE website and is available at www.ncse.ie

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 reassure you 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.