Vol. 537 No. 5
58 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science when the task force report on autism is expected; the progress his Department has made regarding a pre-school education service for children with autism starting at three years of age, the extension of the school year throughout the month of July for children with autism and the doubling of special needs assistant cover provided to each special class catering for children with autism. [17296/01]
I expect to receive the report of the task force on autism before the end of this month. My Department is currently engaged in developing proposals for a nation-wide pre-school education service for children with autism. I have already secured the necessary resources to fund this important development. The intention is that children attending the pre-school service would receive the same level of support as is currently provided in special classes for children with autism in primary schools. This will involve a pupil-teacher ratio of 6:1 and the provision of two special needs assistants per class.
Arrangements for the extension of the school year through the month of July for children with autism are at an advanced stage. A special rate of pay will be made available to teachers and special needs assistants participating in the delivery of July programmes. In addition, extra pay will be offered to principals of participating schools in respect of the preparatory work involved in developing July programmes.
My Department has also advised schools management that a special rate of capitation funding, amounting to one and a half times the normal monthly capitation rate for children with autism, will be paid to schools in respect of pupils participating in the July programmes. Funding will also be available for transport arrangements for participating children. All special classes catering for children with autism should now have received an allocation of two special needs assistant posts per class. If the Deputy is aware of any situation in which this arrangement has not yet been put in place, he might advise me so that any necessary additional support can be provided.
The Minister will forgive me if I am sceptical about his commitment that the autism report will be available before the end of this month. This is the third occasion in recent months that the Minister has come before the House and committed himself to a deadline which has been broken. Assuming the report will be published and given the composition of the task force on autism, is the Minister satisfied the various methods of educating autistic children will receive a fair crack of the whip? Is he also satisfied that the applied behaviour analysis school of education for autistic children can receive a fair hearing from the task force given its present composition?
The Minister made a statement that he had secured funding for the pre-school education service for children with autism. That is the easiest part of the work which needs to be done, given the current economic climate. Perhaps he could tell us in greater detail what steps he has taken to roll out the necessary infrastructure and personnel to provide pre-schooling for autistic children from three years of age.
As regards the extension of the school year through July for children with autism, what negotiations have taken place with the interested bodies and partners in education on this issue? Will there be an arrangement between trade unions and other interested groups so that there is certainty at the commencement of the next school year about the level of service available for children with autism and for their parents?
The task force on autism was asked to do an urgent job in this area so we could move on as quickly as possible. It has reported to me that it expects to be in a position to provide its report by the end of June this year. The task force has met on a number of occasions and it has received presentations from experts in the field of autism in the United States and Northern Ireland. It has also invited submissions from interested members of the public and it has received a substantial number of responses. The Deputy asked about the applied behaviour analysis. That is one of the issues it will analyse. It will examine the position of that system within the treatment methodologies.
The Deputy asked about funding and personnel. This is the first time we have gone to the age of three. That was a new departure which meant funding was not provided for it. It has been agreed that funding will be provided. It is a substantial task to set that in motion, but it is well under way. The special education section is under pressure for many reasons, but particularly because the backlog of work is being cleared. We will be moving ahead in that area.
The Deputy asked me about extending the school year through July. The INTO lodged a special claim. Extra money will be provided under a number of headings. That has been generally agreed with the negotiators, but it must be referred back to the members. That has been done and we hope to hear from them shortly.
Notwithstanding the awaited recommendations of the task force report on autism, would the Minister prefer the Department to be prescriptive about the method of teaching which should be applied to children or has it an open mind about service providers being able to compete for business in terms of the education models available to children with autism and to their parents? That is why I asked about the applied behaviour analysis.
I hope that the task force report will be helpful in that regard. I do not plan to be prescriptive, and I believe a number of models will be acceptable. I expect the task force report will make that clear. I have no idea what is in the report at this stage, but that is what I anticipate.
