I propose to take Questions Nos. 288 and 289 together.
The assessment of the education needs of child with learning disabilities or the identification of the disability may involve input from one or more of a range of education and health professionals including education psychologists, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, occupational therapists and other medical or teaching personnel. These professionals may be employed by a number of statutory, state funded or voluntary organisations or operate independently in private practice. The main provider of such services within the education sector is the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) and within the health sector through the Local Health Office and/ or Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.
Such professionals, where suitably qualified, may in turn apply a range of psychometric tests or diagnostic tools, or form judgements by observation or consultation with education practitioners relating to the nature and severity of a child's learning abilities / disabilities. Within an education setting this process would normally be subject to periodic or ongoing review assessment by the teaching practitioners involved and by the appropriate professionals and services over the course of the child's school life.
While it is difficult to generalise, in the absence of specific detail in relation to an individual, children with severe learning disabilities would normally present with significant needs and undergo medical/psychological assessment prior to entry into the education system. Liaison in relation to special needs provision and/or placement would take place between the NCSE, the parents and HSE services. Under the Disability Act 2005 a child with disabilities is entitled by right to an assessment of need. The NCSE facilitates the provision of relevant education services for the child as part of this process.
In practice a professional assessment report will be provided to the individual for whom it is commissioned or to their parents/guardians. Within the context of parental or individual consent to so do, copies of the report would be furnished to a range of educational or health practitioners to assist the provision of the appropriate intervention, remedial support or therapy.