Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 January 2013
85. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the quota of educational assessments through NEPS applied to each primary and post primary school in east Cork in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2060/13]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware all primary and post-primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA). Schools that do not currently have NEPS psychologists assigned to them may avail of the SCPA, whereby the school can have an assessment carried out by a member of the panel of private psychologists approved and paid for by NEPS.
My Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) operates an early intervention continuum of assessment in schools for students with the broad range of special educational needs. The continuum of assessment allows for the identification of pupils with special educational needs, their nature and severity by harnessing the experience of class teachers and support teachers, in consultation with parents, and with the support of the psychologist. It also provides for the development of immediate responses and interventions designed to ameliorate the particular needs identified at the appropriate level, either in the classroom or with the assistance of the support teacher. This allows for a response to be put in place at the earliest possible juncture for students before their difficulties can become intractable. Assessment of needs at this stage of the continuum involves information gathering, testing and observation by the various school personnel involved and support from the NEPS psychologist, as required.
Where the pupil does not make adequate progress following the interventions, or where the nature of the child's special educational needs are significant, severe and complex, the school may agree with the psychologist that a psycho-educational assessment be conducted to identify the specific nature of the needs and the appropriate response necessary. Students, so identified, are scheduled for assessment within that school year. There is therefore no quota applied to schools under the process.
