Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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In line with the arrangements set out as part of the current Government formation, since January 2021, Tusla Education Support Services (TESS), including the administration of the Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) scheme and the School Completion Programme (SCP) is under my remit.

TESS operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. TESS has three strands namely the Statutory Educational Welfare Service (EWS) and the two school support services the Home School Community Liaison Scheme (HSCL) and the School Completion Programme (SCP). The three TESS strands work together collaboratively with schools, parents and guardians and other relevant services to achieve the best educational outcomes for children and young people. All three strands share the same national outcomes:

improved attendance;

improved participation; and

`improved retention.

In September 2023, a specialist post of Educational Welfare Officer (EWO) for Children in Care was established in TESS. This post is funded by my Department and aims to support the ongoing education of children in care. The EWO for Children in Care works with Social Workers, Social Care Workers, local TESS staff, and schools to ensure that young people who move into their care placement are supported to access school places quickly in order to minimise gaps in their education. Where appropriate, the EWO for Children in Care will support applications for home tuition, under my Department's home tuition scheme, as an interim measure. If, for various reasons, children and young people in care are unable to attend school, the EWO for Children in Care will assist and support them to re-engage in education. TESS plan to develop the role further in line with the learning from 'Educational Attendance and Attainment of Children in Care, 2018 - 2023' published by the Central Statistics Office and the findings from any subsequent reports.

My Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all schools, including:

psychological support in the event of a Critical Incident;

a school staff Support and Development Service, to build school capability to provide a comprehensive continuum of support in schools; and::

Casework Service for individual children and young people where there is a need for intensive consultation and assessment via a NEPS psychologist. NEPS may become involved with supporting individual children and young people where the school considers that the involvement of the psychologist is needed. Psychologists may provide consultation in relation to appropriate therapeutic interventions to be delivered in the school setting and engage in direct work with an individual student as appropriate. Individual casework service involves a high level of psychologist collaboration with teachers and parents, often also working directly with the child or young person. When deciding who to prioritise for involvement with NEPS, school principals consider those children and young people who present with the greatest level of need, in that particular school context.