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

Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education 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).

The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.

For 2023, the spend by my department on special education has been substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my department will spend over €2.6 billion on special education.

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 special educational needs in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers, special needs assistants (SNAs) and funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).

In 2023, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 686 teachers and a further 1,194 SNAs in our schools.

For the first time ever there will be over 19,000 teachers working in the area of special education and over 20,000 SNAs. Together we have almost 40,000 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs.

A number of initiatives are provided by the State within an early years setting to support children with special educational needs, these include;

The Early Childhood Care & Education Scheme (ECCE) and the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) under the remit of the Department of Children Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) and Early Intervention (EI) classes in mainstream and special schools, which are under the remit of my department.

The ECCE programme is a universal two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. It provides children with their first formal experience of early learning prior to commencing primary school. The programme is provided for three hours per day, five days per week and runs from September to June. It is available to all children who have turned 2 years and 8 months of age before September 1st as long they won’t turn 5 years and 6 months of age on or before June 30th of the programme year.

Any child, including a child who may have a diagnosis of autism or another condition/additional need, can access the ECCE programme.

AIM enables the full inclusion and meaningful participation of children with disabilities/additional needs within the ECCE programme. The goal of AIM is to create a more inclusive environment in pre-schools, so all children, regardless of ability, can benefit from quality early learning and care. A diagnosis of disability/additional need is not required to access AIM supports, however, pre-school children with a diagnosis are generally supported in mainstream pre-schools with additional supports provided through AIM where required.

A report on the review of AIM is due to be published by the DCEDIY later this year.

Additionally, the NCSE sanction the establishment of EI classes in school settings where there is identified need.

When enrolling a child in a school setting it is a requirement that a child must be at least 4 years of age at the start of the school year. It is also a requirement that a child have started school by the time they are 6 years of age.

However, EI classes are intended to provide early support for children with autism and are made available to autistic children who are aged between 3-5 years of age.

EI classes follow the same junior/senior infant day i.e. 4 hours 40 minutes, however, schools, in consultation with parents, may reduce the length of the school day for 3 year olds who are unable to manage a full day in the EI setting.

Following EI, children will attend a mainstream class unless there is professional guidance that they require a special class.

I can confirm that my department is currently examining the policy around EI classes where criteria such as age limits will be examined.

Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally so that their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes. The local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) remain available to assist and advise parents of children with special educational needs. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available on the NCSE’s website: www.ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list.

The SENO will be able to inform the parent as to where EI classes are and the criteria for entry. They will also be able to offer further assistance in applying for the Home Tuition Grant Scheme in cases where there aren’t any suitable EI placements available.

The purpose of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons, are unable to attend school. Parents use the grant to engage tutors to deliver tuition in their home, subject to the terms of the scheme.

The Home Tuition Grant Schemes are governed by annual circulars which sets out the purpose, eligibility criteria and details of the scheme. Circular 0046/2022 provides information in relation to the 2022/23 Home Tuition Grant Scheme and can be accessed on gov.ie through the following link: www.gov.ie/en/circular/22b2a-home-tuition-grant-scheme-20222023-special-education-component/.

This scheme facilitates up to 10 hours of home tuition to children with a diagnosis of autism aged between 2.5 and 3 years of age and 20 hours for children aged 3 and over.

I wish to assure you that my department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 271 and 272 together.

I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:

Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education 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).

The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.

For 2023, the spend by my department on special education has been substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my department will spend over €2.6 billion on special education.

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 special educational needs in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers, special needs assistants (SNAs) and funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).

In 2023, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 686 teachers and a further 1,194 SNAs in our schools.

For the first time ever there will be over 19,000 teachers working in the area of special education and over 20,000 SNAs. Together we have almost 40,000 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs.

The State supports early intervention for children with special educational needs through providing funding to a number of crèche/early years settings including:

• Early Intervention (EI) classes in mainstream and special schools
• Home Tuition Grant Scheme for children aged between 3 and 4 years of age with a diagnosis of autism where a placement in an EI setting is not available
• EI settings in Health Service Executive (HSE) funded service providers
• Early years settings supported by the Early Childhood Care & Education Scheme (ECCE) and the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM)
• Early years settings supported by HSE grant aid or HSE funded Pre-School Assistant.

In relation to EI classes in mainstream and special schools the NCSE sanctions the establishment of EI classes where there is an identified need.

EI classes are available for children aged 3-5 with autism. Classes follow the junior/senior infant day i.e. 4 hours 40 minutes each day. Schools, in consultation with parents, may reduce the length of the school day for 3 year olds who are unable to manage a full day in the EI setting.

EI classes are intended to provide early support for children with autism before they start school. Following EI, children will attend a mainstream class unless there is professional guidance that they require a special class.

A child’s attendance in an EI class is not, and should not, be taken as an indication that the child will require access to a special class when he/she enrols in primary school.

There are currently 158 EI classes sanctioned nationally for the 2023/24 school year, 14 of which are new for 2023/24.

As of 31 Mar 2023, there were

Year	EI classes
2020	135
2021	133
2022	151

Per the NCSE special class list for September 2023 published on 23 June, there are two EI autism classes in Waterford; one in Passage East and one in Dungarvan .

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

Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally so that their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes. The local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) remain available to assist and advise parents of children with special educational needs. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available on the NCSE’s website: www.ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list

The SENO will be able to inform the parent as to where EI classes are and the criteria for entry. They will also be able to offer further assistance in applying for the Home Tuition Grant Scheme in cases where there aren’t any suitable EI placements available.

The purpose of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons, are unable to attend school. Parents use the grant to engage tutors to deliver tuition in their home, subject to the terms of the scheme.

The Home Tuition Grant Schemes are governed by annual circulars which sets out the purpose, eligibility criteria and details of the scheme. Circular 0046/2022 provides information in relation to the 2022/23 Home Tuition Grant Scheme and can be accessed on gov.ie through the following link: www.gov.ie/en/circular/22b2a-home-tuition-grant-scheme-20222023-special-education-component/

I wish to assure you that my department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.

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

I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:

Enabling children with special educational needs 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). The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.

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 special educational needs in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers, special needs assistants (SNAs) and funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).

The 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 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.

My department is engaging intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. 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.

As a result of this forward planning, on the 12th of April, Minister Foley and I announced the establishment of 2 new special schools for the 2023/24 school year, with further capacity being expanded in 11 other special schools.

Along with the two new special schools, 380 new special classes – 250 at primary and 130 at post-primary level – have been sanctioned by the NCSE for opening in the 2023/24 school year, with a small number more to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Of these new classes, 4 are in Waterford, with 1 at primary level and 3 at post-primary level. These new classes will bring the total number of special classes in Waterford to 56. Information on the list of schools with special classes, the types and locations of these classes is also published on the NCSE website: www.ncse.ie

The NCSE is committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements will be available for children for the coming school year.

Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally so that their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes. The local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) remain available to assist and advise parents of children with special educational needs. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available on the NCSE’s website: www.ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list

My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.