Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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295. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his Department's policy on early-years interventions for children with disability or developmental delay; how this integrates with early-years education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26046/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I am wholeheartedly committed to ensuring that children with disabilities are supported on an equal basis with every child in our society.

Participation in mainstream Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) is supported through the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM)

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. The model achieves this by providing universal supports to pre-school settings, and targeted supports, which focus on the needs of the individual child, without requiring a diagnosis of disability.

AIM commenced in 2016, since then, it has helped tens of thousands of children with a disability to access and meaningfully participate in the ECCE programme in pre-school settings nationwide. The model has been recognised internationally and has won awards for both excellence in practice, and inclusive policy.

From September 2024, the model will be extended outside of the 38 weeks, 3 hours per day of ECCE to include additional hours during term time and time spent in ELC out of term. The ultimate goal is that AIM will support children of all ages with extension to 0-3 year olds currently being considered.

In addition, I would note that my Department is currently operating the Complex Healthcare Needs (CHN) trial in collaboration with the Department of Health (DoH) and the Health Service Executive (HSE). The CHN trial provides nursing support to facilitate a child’s attendance during Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE) hours where the child has complex medical needs and is in receipt of a Paediatric Homecare Package (PHCP). The HSE Key Contact must complete a clinical nursing need assessment. If the assessment determines that nursing support is required to attend preschool, a registered nurse will be engaged as an extension of the HSE Paediatric Home Care Package.

93 Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs) are aligned to 96 Community Healthcare Networks (CHNs) across the country and are providing services and supports for children aged from birth to 18 years of age.

The model of service for all CDNTs is family-centred and based on the needs of the child. This includes universal, targeted and specialised supports and interventions, as appropriate to the individual child and family. It is based on the objectives of empowering and supporting parents and others who are with the child on a daily basis to facilitate the child’s developmental needs.

The implementation of the Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (PDS) programme is agreed Government and HSE policy. The PDS model addresses the previous inequity in service provision whereby there may have been an excellent service for some children and little or no service for others. This variance may have been linked to diagnosis, age group or geography. A key objective of PDS is to provide equity of access for all children with disabilities based on need, not on diagnosis. The PDS Roadmap for Service Improvement (2023-2026) was launched by the HSE on Tuesday 24th October 2023 and is a targeted Service Improvement Programme which sets out to achieve a quality, accessible, equitable and timely therapy services for children with complex needs and their families.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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296. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 523 of 21 May 2024, for a further update on plans to reopen Ard Aoibhinn respite services at Carndonagh, County Donegal; and what efforts are being made to secure a fire certificate for same. [26109/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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297. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of the difficulty being experienced by young adults with disabilities and additional needs in accessing transport to adult education facilities once they transfer from the special schools they attended as children (details supplied); what plans his Department have to address this anomaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26112/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.