Robert Troy
Question:55. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will make funding available for a student to undergo a psychological report (details supplied) in County Longford [24910/13]
View answerThursday, 23 May 2013
Questions (55)
Written answers
I can inform the Deputy that 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), full details of which are on the Department's website. Where a NEPS psychologist is not assigned to a school, authorities therein may access psychological assessments through SCPA. Under this scheme schools can have an assessment carried out by a member of the panel of private psychologists approved by NEPS, and NEPS will pay the psychologist the fees for this assessment directly.
It should also be noted that in common with many other psychological services, NEPS encourages a staged assessment process, whereby each school takes responsibility for a pupil's initial assessment, educational planning and remedial intervention. Only if there is a failure to make reasonable progress in spite of the school's best efforts, will a child be referred for individual psychological assessment.
It is the responsibility of the school Principal in the first instance to identify and prioritise pupils for assessment under the process described above. I have made enquiries in relation to the student referred to in the Deputy's question and understand that no request has been made by the school to NEPS in respect of this individual. I have asked that a Psychologist from this Service make contact with the school to discuss its needs both in general terms and specifically in relation to this student.
I would advise that the school Principal, in the first instance, should be contacted in relation to concerns for any pupil which require intervention from the NEPS service.