Written answers

Thursday, 24 October 2024

Department of Education and Skills

Special Educational Needs

Photo of Martin BrowneMartin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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175. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the manner in which the Department ascertains secondary special school places needed through the demand experienced in primary level; the level to which that need is being met; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43686/24]

Photo of Hildegarde NaughtonHildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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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.

The NCSE has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide. The NCSE have recruited additional special education needs organisers (SENOs), advisors and team managers. The total number of SENOs has increased from 65 to 120. SENOs play an important role in ensuring there is adequate special educational provision within local areas. These SENOs are currently visiting schools to conduct planning meetings. The NCSE plan to conduct up to 800 of these visits by the end of this month.

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. Local SENOs are available to assist and advise parents on their options and the supports available.

I would like to outline the progress my department and the NCSE are making to ensure there is adequate special educational placements and support services for children with complex needs.

Almost 1,700 classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE in the last 5 years, and in this time 11 new special schools have also been established and many more expanded. For this school year alone over 400 new special classes have been sanctioned bringing the total number of special classes nationwide to 3,336.

Budget 2025 provides funding for another 400 special classes and 300 special school places nationwide and it is estimated that a similar level of provision will be needed each year for the next 3 years. Particularly, demand for new special classes at post-primary level is expected to increase significantly over the next few years. This is due to increasing demographics and increasing prevalence rates. My department and the NCSE have engaged with post-primary stakeholders in this regard.

In October 2022, my department wrote to all post-primary schools requesting that each school begin planning to provide for up to four special classes to meet the needs of children progressing from primary school. Just this month my department issued a circular to all schools setting out new measures to support the forward planning of special education provision. Included in this circular was a reminder of the need for post primary schools to continue planning for this level of provision.

My department and the NCSE are engaging with schools and school management bodies in relation to the provision of future special classes and are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements will be available for children for this school year and future years.

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