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Special Educational Needs.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 November 2004

Wednesday, 17 November 2004

Questions (538, 539, 540, 541, 542, 543, 544, 545, 546, 547, 548, 549, 550, 551, 552, 553, 554, 555, 556)

Olwyn Enright

Question:

577 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress which has been made on the recommendation in the report of the task force on autism of October 2001 that her Department establish a committee, which will include parent representatives, to develop agreed guidelines and procedures for monitoring children’s progress; if such a recommendation has been carried out; if so, the extent to which; if not completed, when it will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29471/04]

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Olwyn Enright

Question:

578 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress which has been made on the recommendation in the report of the task force on autism of October 2001 that schools enrolling students with ASDs ensure a whole school ethos conducive to appropriately supporting the needs of these students; if such a recommendation has been carried out; if so, the extent to which; if not completed, when it will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29472/04]

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Olwyn Enright

Question:

579 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress which has been made on the recommendation in the report of the task force on autism of October 2001 that schools enrolling students with ASDs ensure that there is a written policy indicating the arrangements, including assessment and recording procedures, teaching approaches, support services, child safety provision and staffing and material resources to support successfully the needs of these students; if such a recommendation has been carried out; if so, the extent to which; if not completed, when it will be completed; and ifshe will make a statement on the matter. [29473/04]

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Olwyn Enright

Question:

581 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress which has been made on the recommendation in the report of the task force on autism of October 2001 that schools enrolling students with ASDs actively promote inclusion for these students and that research be initiated to review the success, if inclusive and special placements for students with ASDs; if such a recommendation has been carried out; if so, the extent to which; if not completed, when it will be completed. [29475/04]

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Olwyn Enright

Question:

582 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress which has been made on the recommendation in the report of the task force on autism of October 2001 that her Department, through the inspectorate, SNOs or otherwise, take responsibility for the identification, training arrangements and employment of teachers to support students with AS-HFA who are availing of the home tuition scheme; if such a recommendation has been carried out; if so, the extent to which; if not completed, when it will be completed. [29476/04]

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Olwyn Enright

Question:

584 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress which has been made on the recommendation in the report of the task force on autism of October 2001 that community integration and education and transport arrangements for adolescents with AS-HFA be age-appropriate and arranged with due respect to the right of each person to retain confidentiality regarding disability status among peers and that, if relevant and appropriate, grant support in lieu of special transport be provided in order to retain confidentiality; if such a recommendation has been carried out; if so, the extent to which; if not completed, when it will be completed. [29478/04]

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Olwyn Enright

Question:

585 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress which has been made on the recommendation in the report of the task force on autism of October 2001 that individual and group counselling be provided for adolescents with AS-HFA to assist persons to come to terms with the implications of the disorder and to address emotional, behavioural and educational issues which may arise; if such a recommendation has been carried out; if so, the extent to which; if not completed, when it will be completed. [29479/04]

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Olwyn Enright

Question:

586 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress that has been made on the recommendation in the report of the task force on autism of October 2001 that her Department and the Department of Health and Children should encourage, support and provide funding for young people with AS-HFA to join local gyms and health centres, particularly during holidays, in an effort to maintain or improve community integration and their physical and mental health through the provision of positive social opportunities; if such a recommendation has been carried out; if so, the extent to which; if not completed, when it will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29480/04]

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Olwyn Enright

Question:

587 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress that has been made on the recommendation in the report of the task force on autism of October 2001 that her Department provide a national policy-code of practice document which would outline key areas of concern and general recommendations regarding the provision of support, protection and flexible education to meet the holistic needs of persons with AS-HFA in mainstream classes and schools, that this policy should be circulated to all schools and parents of this group; if such a recommendation has been carried out; if so, the extent to which; if not completed, when it will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29481/04]

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Olwyn Enright

Question:

588 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress that has been made on the recommendation in the report of the task force on autism of October 2001 that the State put significant resources into the development and implementation of intensive early services programmes for children on the autistic spectrum; if such a recommendation has been carried out; if so, the extent to which; if not completed, when it will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29482/04]

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Olwyn Enright

Question:

589 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress that has been made on the recommendation in the report of the task force on autism of October 2001 that her Department, in conjunction with the health boards and in consultation and agreement with parents, develop protocols for nationally agreed intervention models to be developed in each region; if such a recommendation has been carried out; if so, the extent to which; if not completed, when it will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29483/04]

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Olwyn Enright

Question:

590 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress that has been made on the recommendation in the report of the task force on autism of October 2001 that educational — under her Department — and independent clinical — under her Department and health boards — assessment and intervention be offered from the point of diagnosis; if such a recommendation has been carried out; if so, the extent to which; if not completed, when it will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29484/04]

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Olwyn Enright

Question:

593 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress that has been made on the recommendation in the report of the task force on autism of October 2001 that children be allowed dual enrolment, that is, in a mainstream setting as well as a special ASD class; if such a recommendation has been carried out; if so, the extent to which; if not completed, when it will be completed. [29487/04]

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Olwyn Enright

Question:

594 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress that has been made on the recommendations (details supplied) in the report of the task force on autism of October 2001 that statements of educational need, individual educational plans and child and family support plans be developed for the young child; if such a recommendation has been carried out; if so, the extent to which; if not completed, when it will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29488/04]

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Olwyn Enright

Question:

595 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress that has been made on the recommendations (details supplied) in the report of the task force on autism of October 2001 that individual, ongoing and multi-professional assessment be offered to establish effective, sequentially ordered intervention programmes; if such a recommendation has been carried out; if so, the extent to which; if not completed, when it will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29489/04]

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Olwyn Enright

Question:

596 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress that has been made on the recommendations (details supplied) in the report of the task force on autism of October 2001 that her Department inspectorate play an active, well defined role in promotion, monitoring and evaluation of ASD early services programmes; if such a recommendation has been carried out; if so, the extent to which; if not completed, when it will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29490/04]

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Olwyn Enright

Question:

597 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress that has been made on the recommendations (details supplied) in the report of the task force on autism of October 2001 that her Department form partnerships in order to adequately resource and support a range of existing pre-schools and to provide integrated pre-school experiences for children from the point of diagnosis to five years of age, with ASD-specific supports funded by her Department and that a set of standards, guidelines and monitoring procedures be defined to accompany this development; if such a recommendation has been carried out; if so, the extent to which; if not completed, when it will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29491/04]

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Olwyn Enright

Question:

598 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress that has been made on the recommendations (details supplied) in the report of the task force on autism of October 2001 that formal links between her Department, health boards and universities with education and psychology departments be established for the purposes of developing appropriate early education for children with ASDs; if such a recommendation has been carried out; if so, the extent to which; if not completed, when it will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29492/04]

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Olwyn Enright

Question:

601 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress that has been made on the recommendations (details supplied) in the report of the task force on autism of October 2001 that the visiting teacher for ASDs scheme, suggested in this report, be available to children with an ASD in all pre-school settings; if such a recommendation has been carried out; if so, the extent to which; if not completed, when it will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29495/04]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 577 to 579, inclusive, 581 and 582, 584 to 590, inclusive, 593 to 598, inclusive, and 601 together.

The Deputy has tabled a number of questions in relation to individual recommendations in the report of the task force on autism. These recommendations provide an invaluable basis for the development of educational services and supports for persons with autism. However, in responding to the recommendations, my Department has had to give priority to a number of key areas before detailed individual recommendations can be addressed. These key areas involve the implementation of the core legislative and structural measures required to underpin service development and delivery. This approach is critical to the implementation of many of the individual recommendations of the task force, including those relating to assessment, parental involvement, service delivery, information dissemination, promotion of inclusion and co-ordination between health and education authorities.

With regard to legislation, the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 has now been enacted while, on the structural front, the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has been established on a statutory basis. While these developments represent significant progress, a considerable amount of additional input is required before these measures can begin to have a positive impact on services for children with special educational needs, including those with autism.

Over the course of the coming months, I expect that significant progress will be made in this regard. Specifically, consideration will be given to the detailed measures required to enable the Act to be commenced. In addition, it is intended that the NCSE will assume operational status in the new year and a range of measures are in hands to ensure that this objective is realised. These measures include comprehensive supported training for the council's special educational needs organisers and the drawing up of detailed work protocols in relation to the various areas of work for which the council will assume responsibility.

This work is will be carefully planned and executed over the coming months. It will address many of the recommendations of the task force. Other recommendations will be addressed over time in consultation with the council and other interested parties.

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