Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 May 2013
127. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the National Council for Special Education was first asked by him to provide policy advice with particular reference to children with Down's syndrome who have a mild intellectual disability; when he expects to be in receipt of the this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23473/13]
View answer130. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether children with Downs syndrome should be provided with a maximum number of individual resource teaching hours per week - currently four hours 15 minutes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23529/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 130 together.
The Deputy will be aware of this Government's ongoing commitment to ensuring that all children with special educational needs, including children with Down's syndrome, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs. The policy of my Department is to secure the maximum possible level of inclusion of students with special educational needs in mainstream primary and post-primary schools, or where a special school or special class placement may be required to ensure such placements are provided for.
Pupils with Down's syndrome attending mainstream schools may receive additional teaching support in primary schools, either under the terms of the General Allocation Model (GAM) of teaching supports, if the pupil's educational psychological assessment places the pupil in the mild general learning disability/high incidence disability category, or through an allocation of individual additional resource teaching hours which are allocated by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), if the child is assessed as being within the low incidence category of special need, as defined by my Department's Circular Sp Ed 02/05.
Pupils with Down's syndrome may be allocated resources under the category of mild general learning disability, or under the categories of moderate general learning difficulty or Assessed Syndrome, in conjunction with another Low Incidence disability. There is not presently a distinct disability category of Down's syndrome for resource allocation purposes. I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a formal role under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act, 2004 in advising me in relation to any matter relating to the education of children and others with disabilities.
My Department initially asked the NCSE in November 2011 to consider the issue of whether Down's syndrome should be reclassified as a low incidence disability in all instances, regardless of assessed cognitive ability. In 2012 the NCSE were asked to provide comprehensive advice on how the educational system currently places and supports children with special educational needs in schools. As part of this process it was agreed that the NCSE would include the advice on the Down's syndrome. The NCSE's comprehensive policy advice on how the education system can best support children with special educational needs is currently in preparation and is expected shortly. It is my intention that the significant resources to support children with Special Educational Needs are deployed to ensure the best possible outcomes for students. The advice will be a key input into achieving this goal.
