Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.
Question:
319
Dr. Upton
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
the supports which are available to classes in mainstream schools for persons with special needs (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21744/00]
My Department provides funding to meet the special equipment needs of pupils with disabilities within the mainstream primary school system and in special schools. The level of funding available this year is £945,000. In addition, in the current year, I have allocated a sum of £500,000 under the IT2000 initiative for this purpose.
Allocations of equipment grants are based on an assessed level of need of individual pupils.
Where a resource teacher is appointed to a school to assist with the education of certain pupils with disabilities integrated into mainstream classes, an equipment grant of £400 is allocated, followed by an annual grant of £200. This rate of grant aid is currently under review.
A similar level of equipment grant is paid in respect of remedial teachers.
Additionally, in the current school year, an information and technology grant of £700 issued to all schools with the service of remedial and resource teachers for children with disabilities for the purchase of relevant hardware/software items.
The national educational psychological service agency is an executive agency of my Department. It has responsibility for providing an educational psychological service to all children and young people attending schools and other educational institutions recognised by my Department, with a particular emphasis on supporting those with special educational needs.
At present all post-primary schools and approximately a quarter of all primary schools have access to the service offered by NEPS. However, the expansion of NEPS is currently under way in line with a development plan that provides for every school in the country being assigned to one of the NEPS psychologists as soon as possible.
Five psychologists who were formerly employees of the National Rehabilitation Board are now employed by the National Disability Authority to work on a contractual basis for NEPS. They are ensuring continuing psychological support for children and young people with sensory and physical disabilities in all schools.
My Department does not fund the cost of eye or hearing tests for children with sight or hearing difficulties. This responsibility rests with the health boards.
The visiting teacher service of my Department provides a support service for children who are visually or hearing impaired. This service is available from the time of diagnosis right through schooling as required. In addition to providing advice and support to parents and schools, the visiting teacher makes recommendations to my Department with regard to the equipment needs of such pupils, such as radio aids, braillers and other specialised equipment.
The Government's initiative of November 1998, whereby all pupils assessed as having a special educational need arising from a disability are now entitled to an automatic response to those needs, is a positive step towards the integration of pupils with special needs within mainstream primary education.
It is my intention to keep the deployment of the necessary resources for pupils with special needs under regular review.
