Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 2 May 2001

Vol. 535 No. 2

Written Answers - Youth Encounter Project.

Bernard Allen

Question:

105 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Education and Science the impact of the youth encounter project in schools in view of the increasing disciplinary problems in schools; and if he will make the project more widely available. [12296/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods):

Currently there are five projects under the aegis of my Department that are covered by the term youth encounter project. Each has a board of management that is responsible for the implementation of policy on discipline in the project. These projects, which are non-residential, can accommodate up to 115 young persons aged between ten and 15 years both boys and girls. These young people have either become involved in minor delinquency or are at risk of becoming involved in delinquency and have become alienated from the mainstream school system.

The evidence available from school reports furnished by my Department's inspectorate indicates clearly that these special national schools make good educational provision for this category of pupil. Students are taught a range of subjects and some students pursue a limited number of subjects for the junior certificate examination and junior certificate schools programme. The main emphasis is on developing the literacy, numeracy and life skills of the students in small classes in a caring and supportive setting.

This year my Department will contract an external agency to carry out an evaluation of the impact and effectiveness of all non-mainstream education projects for children at risk that are currently being funded by the Department. This evaluation will include the five youth encounter projects and other similar projects. The outcome of the evaluation will inform future policy in this area.

The boards of management of all schools have responsibility for formulating, in consultation with parents, a fair and efficient code of behaviour. This code should ensure that the individuality of each child is accommodated while acknowledging the right of each child to education in a relatively disruption free environment. This code should include provision for dealing with serious breaches of discipline and continuously disruptive pupils.

My Department has issued guidelines to boards of management to assist them in discharging their obligations in the area of school discipline. These guidelines were drawn up following consultation with representatives of management, teachers and parents, and are sufficiently flexible to allow each school authority to adapt them to suit the particular needs of the school. These guidelines lay considerable stress on the use of suspensions and expulsions only as a last resort.

The report on discipline that was commissioned by my Department and completed by Dr. Maeve Martin deals comprehensively with the issue of discipline in schools and sets out models of best practice in this area. A copy of the report was sent to all schools and is, I am sure, a valuable resource for school authorities in this area.

In addition, my Department gives assistance in securing placement in individual cases. Typically, this can arise where a pupil has been excluded as a result of disruptive behaviour and where alternative arrangements need to be made. In these circumstances my Department's inspectorate endeavours through a process of consultation with the schools to assist in the re-instatement of the pupil in the school or, alternatively, his-her placement in another school. In more difficult situations the national educational psychological service is available to assess pupils in order to determine the nature and extent of any special needs with a view to having them addressed in the most appropriate manner.