Written answers
Thursday, 16 November 2023
Department of Education and Skills
National Educational Psychological Service
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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140. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide the necessary resources to ensure the availability of a comprehensive National Education Psychological Service at schools across Donegal. [50314/23]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary and special schools.
The NEPS service provides access for all schools to:
- Psychological support in the event of a Critical Incident
- A Casework Service for individual children where there is a need for intensive consultation and assessment via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments (SCPA).
- A school staff Support and Development Service, to build school capability to provide a comprehensive continuum of support in schools and
- Ongoing access to advice and support for schools.
Since January of this year, NEPS is supporting bursaries for students who are enrolled in the University College Dublin (UCD) and the Mary Immaculate College (MIC), Limerick’s for Trainee Educational Psychologists. Those in receipt of a bursary commit to joining NEPS upon graduation. As of September 2023 there are 62 Trainee Educational Psychologists in receipt of a bursary from NEPS who are expected will fill a vacancy in NEPS upon graduation, over the next three years.
The Public Appointments Service (PAS) undertook a recruitment campaign for Educational Psychologists for NEPS earlier this year. Interviews have taken place, and panels of psychologists have been created. My Department is actively engaging with PAS to maximise the numbers of psychologists being recruited.
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