Olwyn Enright
Question:224 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the procedures he intends to put in place to ensure that every child with autism will be reviewed by an educational psychologist. [19226/02]
Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.
Autistic children require a spectrum of psychological services ranging from initial diagnosis to ongoing support and monitoring of progress. My Department recognises that both clinical and educational psychologists have a role to play in the provision of these services.
Three years ago, my Department established the national educational psychological service, NEPS, which is mandated to provide an educational psychological service for all schools, giving priority to children with special educational needs, such as autism. The initial assessment of young children with autistic spectrum disorders is normally made by the relevant health services. The NEPS will ensure, through the inter-agency professional co-operation recommended in a recent NEPS-health boards' report, that its psychologists are made aware of children with autistic spectrum disorders as they enter schools. The educational psychologists can then plan to monitor and review the progress of such children as necessary. When the NEPS service has reached its full strength, it will be available to all autistic children in the educational system.
Olwyn Enright
Question:225 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the procedures the national educational psychological service have put in place to ensure that every child with autism receives an individual educational plan after initial assessment. [19227/02]
The NEPS is fully committed to co-operating with other agencies in implementing the recommendations of the report of the task force on autism. An internal NEPS working group has been established to develop a strategy in relation to the assessment, review and support of children with autistic spectrum disorders. The agency is currently implementing a major programme of continuing professional development in the area of autism for its psychologists, and one of the components of the programme is the development of individual educational plans. Five NEPS psychologists are currently participating in a postgraduate course in autistic spectrum disorders sponsored by the University of Birmingham. The NEPS also maintains close links with colleagues working in the autism area in Northern Ireland. A joint North-South conference for educational psychologists on the subject of autism is planned for spring 2003.
Health board child and family centres or designated health board regional autistic spectrum disorder services are currently charged with providing the multidisciplinary diagnostic assessment for any child suspected of having an autistic spectrum disorder. The report of the task force on autism envisages that the health board clinical psychologist will play a key role in the process of drawing up the statutory assessment of educational needs. Individual education plans are best developed through the collaborative efforts of all those directly involved with the student, including teachers, parents and other professionals concerned. Teachers should have the lead role in devising and implementing individual education plans, with support from NEPS psychologists and other professionals involved. The NEPS will, therefore, work collaboratively with teachers, parents, clinical psychologists and other professionals involved in devising appropriate individual education plans and in the subsequent monitoring of progress and the effectiveness of the IEP.
Olwyn Enright
Question:226 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science when he intends to implement the task force report on autism; and the steps he has taken in this regard. [19228/02]
Olwyn Enright
Question:227 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science his plans to ensure the right to an education for autistic children, as enshrined in the O'Donoghue judgment, is put in place. [19229/02]
Olwyn Enright
Question:240 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans he is putting in place in his Department to deal with the projected growth in the prevalence of autistic spectrum disorder. [19242/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 226, 227 and 240 together.
The report of the task force on autism is lengthy and complex. It contains approximately 180 individual recommendations ranging from measures aimed at identifying prevalence rates through issues relating to diagnosis and assessment, the centrality of the role of parents, the required models of education and health care services, the need for specialist training for those involved in service provision, to structural, constitutional and policy issues. The scope of the task force's recommendations is such as to require a multi-faceted response.
My Department's key focus to date has been on progressing the fundamental structural and legislative measures which are necessary to underpin the development of services for persons with autism in line with the task force's recommendations. A key development on the structural front has been the Government's decision to approve the establishment of the National Council for Special Education. The national council, which will have a local area presence, will play a key role in the development and delivery of services for persons with special needs, including persons with autism. It will also have a research and advisory role and will establish expert groups to address particular areas of special needs provision. It will also establish a consultative forum to facilitate inputs from the education partners and other interested parties. Arrangements for the establishment of the council are now well advanced. I expect that a chief executive will be appointed to the council shortly and that the council will be vested and operational by the end of March 2003.
It is also my intention to bring forward legislation as soon as possible to copperfasten the rights and entitlement of persons with disabilities, including persons with autism. The objective of this legislation, which will be based on the Education for Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2002, will be to provide a statutory guarantee of education services for persons with disabilities, including persons with autism. The Bill will provide a clear and enforceable statement in law of the rights of children and adults, who because of disabilities have special educational needs and will propose to put in place a statutory structure which will guarantee their education. Key provisions in the Bill will include the establishment of a register of children with special needs, including persons with autism; the introduction of education plans tailored to the disabilities and educational needs of each individual; the involvement of parents in the planning and ongoing review of their children's education; the introduction of mediation and appeals structures to facilitate parents who are concerned at the adequacy of the provision being made available; the setting up of the National Council for Special Education as a dedicated statutory body with responsibility for ensuring that the aims of the Bill are met, and the introduction of statutory duties on health boards to provide assistance and services necessary for the education of persons with special needs.
Throughout the summer my Department has been involved in a comprehensive consultation process with interested parties regarding the measures proposed in this legislation. The views expressed will be fully considered prior to finalisation of the draft Bill. I am satisfied that the development of the National Council for Special Education, coupled with the legislative measures which I intend to bring forward as speedily as possible, will provide the basis on which the range of recommendations brought forward by the task force on autism can best be progressed.
In the meantime, my Department continues to respond to the educational needs of children with autism. To date, in excess of 90 special dedicated classes have been established to cater for such children. Each class operates at a maximum pupil teacher ratio of 6:1 and each class also has the support of two special needs assistants. Further support is provided where deemed necessary on the basis of a professional assessment of needs.