Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Dec 1997

Vol. 485 No. 2

Written Answers. - Psychological Assessment Criteria.

Paul McGrath

Question:

221 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children the criteria, if any, used in deciding if a pupil attending primary school should be referred for psychological assessment; if a pupil must be physically or mentally disadvantaged before this assessment is undertaken; the procedure for this assessment and the way in which it is initiated; the waiting time for pupils for assessment and subsequent report; his views on the reason there are such long delays for these assessments for pupils in County Westmeath. [22977/97]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

Responsibility for the provision of psychological services for school children is a matter in the first instance for the Department of Education and Science. I understand that the Deputy has recently received information from my colleague the Minister for Education and Science on the question of criteria for referrals and the procedures for initiating referrals.

As the psychological services provided by the Department of Education and Science to primary schools is at present limited to a small number of schools, the health boards currently provide a service for many of the school children in this age group, including those in County Westmeath on behalf of the Department of Education and Science.

I understand from the Midland Health Board that psychological services are provided by either the board or the Sisters of Charity Services in the following cases:

a service is provided to children with moderate and severe mental handicap who are in special schools or special classes;

a psychological assessment service is provided to identify children with mental handicap;

psychological services to secondary schools are provided on an informal and ad-hoc basis;

psycho-educational assessment services are provided in conjunction with the Child Guidance Clinic;

psychological assessment of children is carried out as part of the assessment for suitability for language classes;

assessment of children with complex development/psycho-educational problems is carried out;

children with behavioural/emotional problems can avail of the board's psychiatric services — referral is through the family GP;

liaison with schools on specific issues regarding individual children who are involved in treatment programmes.

initiation of all appropriate emergency assessments within the foregoing parameters.

Difficulties in the recruitment of appropriate staff to provide these services have contributed to delays in the services in County Westmeath, but the board anticipates that in the near future with the appointment of additional staff, these delays will be considerably reduced.