Vol. 546 No. 4
143 Mr. P. Carey asked the Minister for Education and Science if, pursuant to a visit to a school by a psychologist, further to Parliamentary Question No. 449 of 23 October, he will sanction a private psychological assessment of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32017/01]
Psychologists in the national educational psychological service discuss with school principals, and agree on, the priorities for psychological intervention in each school. This includes the number of individual assessments to be carried out. Normally the psychologist offers advice to teachers on appropriate programmes and supports for pupils who are giving concern and only engages in individual casework if the school based interventions appear insufficient over a period. In this case the school principal felt that it would be possible to provide support for the pupil with advice from the psychologist but without an individual psychological assessment being carried out at this time.
Psychological support continues to be available to the pupil. The psychologist will offer advice on the most appropriate learning support programme for the pupil. Her progress will be monitored each time the psychologist visits the school. If there is concern about the rate of progress then an individual psychological assessment may well be considered necessary at a later date.
