Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 March 2004
134 Mr. Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Science the resources and structures he has put in place at second level to provide appropriately for the education of children with special educational and behavioural needs; if teachers have received specialist training to cater for the milder category of the aforementioned special needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9721/04]
View answerMy Department allocates resource teacher support and special needs assistant support to second level schools and VECs to cater for students with special educational needs. The nature and level of support provided in each cases is based on the professionally assessed needs of the individual student.
The level of resources being made available to support students with special educational needs in the second level system has grown significantly in recent years. In the current school year, provision is being made for 1,050 whole-time equivalent resource teachers and 450 special needs assistants. This represents an increase of approximately 300 resource teacher posts and 50 special needs assistant posts on the previous school year. These resources are supporting approximately 12,500 students with special educational needs in the second level system.
The precise model of provision made available will depend on the assessed needs of the pupils involved. Some students are capable of attending ordinary classes on an integrated basis with resource teacher and/or special needs assistant support. In other cases, placement in special dedicated classes or units attached to the school may be the more appropriate response. Such special classes operate at significantly reduced pupil teacher ratios. For example, a special class catering for children with a mild general learning disability would have a support rate equating with a maximum pupil teacher ratio of 11:1. A class catering for children on the autistic spectrum would be supported at pupil teacher ratio of 6:1. My Department also supports arrangements whereby students attached to these special classes are facilitated in attending ordinary subject classes on an integrated basis wherever possible.
My Department's in-career development unit has developed a strategy designed to meet the continuing professional development needs of personnel working with children with special educational needs. This involves a major expansion of the range of postgraduate professional training programmes available to teachers in the special needs area.
In addition to the measures which I have outlined, I am confident that the advent of the National Council for Special Education will prove of major benefit in ensuring that all children with special educational needs receive the support they require when and where they require it.
