Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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445. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if it is the case that 10,000 needs assessments have to be redone for children with additional needs; the current total backlog of children waiting for assessments of needs; the reason there is no reference within the report to early years education; if this means that these children within early years who need additional supports are being failed; if this will lead to early years services being unable to accept children with additional needs; when the review of AIM will be published; and if he understands that AIM is not sufficient to provide for the necessary supports for many children with additional needs. [9715/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Responsibility for Assessment of Needs under the Disability Act 2005 currently resides with the Department of Health and any questions with regard to that process and any associated reports should be directed that Department.

It is important to note that the Assessment of Needs process has no bearing on access to supports under the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM).

AIM aims to empower preschool providers to deliver an inclusive preschool experience, ensuring that every eligible child can meaningfully participate in the ECCE programme and reap the benefits of quality early learning and care. AIM offers tailored, practical supports based on need and does not require a formal diagnosis of disability.

Supports under AIM can be universal or targeted based on children’s individual needs and documented in the “My Inclusion Plan”. The Inclusion Plan outlines actions, adaptations and additional assistance that may be required to ensure an individual child’s inclusion in the ECCE programme. The plan is developed by the Early Years Educators working with the child, in partnership with the child’s parent/guardian or carer and in consultation with relevant professionals working with the child. A Better Start Early Years Specialist can provide educational advice and mentoring to support the development of the plan.

There are seven levels of AIM, which encompass a range of both universal and targeted supports for early learning and care settings. Universal supports are designed to create a more inclusive culture in settings, through training courses and qualifications for staff. Where universal supports are not enough to meet the needs of an individual child, targeted supports are available to ensure the child can meaningfully participate in the ECCE programme.

Universal supports (Levels 1-3):

- Level 1, which aims to embed an inclusive culture in preschool early learning and care settings, includes the national inclusion policy and guidelines, the funding of the Leadership for Inclusion (LINC) training programme, the establishment of Inclusion Co-Ordinator (INCO) roles in early learning and care settings, and a capitation payment of €2 per registered ECCE child for settings with qualified Inclusion Co-ordinators.

- Level 2 involves provision of information for parents and providers on AIM, through the AIM.gov.ie website and information provided by County/City Childcare Committees (CCC).

- Level 3 recognises the requirement to continue to develop a qualified workforce that can confidently meet the needs of all children participating in the ECCE Programme. Supports include funding of training courses such as Hanen, Lámh and Sensory Processing E-Learning (SPEL).

Targeted supports (Levels 4-7):

- Level 4 addresses the needs of Early Years Educators to have timely access to advice and support from experts in early learning and care (and disability in particular) to assist them meet each child’s needs.

- Level 5 recognises that some children require specialised equipment, appliances, assistive technology and/or that some settings may require minor structural alterations to ensure children with a disability can participate in the ECCE programme. Supports include grants for equipment and some minor capital building works.

- Level 6 provides access to therapeutic supports where they are critical to enable a child be enrolled, and fully participate, in the ECCE programme.

- Level 7: Additional assistance in the preschool room involves additional capitation for settings where an application process has demonstrated that supports at Level 1-6 have not, or will not, by themselves, meet the child’s needs. Funding can be used by the provider to buy in additional support, or reduce the staff / child ratio, supporting the Lead Educator to ensure the child’s optimal participation.

If the Deputy considers that there are circumstances where a child’s full and meaningful participation in the ECCE programme is not being supported, the child’s family should immediately contact their local CCC for further advice and support. As the Deputy will note, AIM provides for a wide array of individualised and tailored supports to meet a wider variety of need and ability within ECCE settings.