Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 October 2013
23. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he is taking to ensure that more educational psychological assessments are available for children to help them access educational supports (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43806/13]
View answerMy Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides service to all primary or post-primary school countrywide and operates an early intervention continuum of assessment 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.
I can inform the Deputy that the number of psychologists employed by my Department's NEPS service has increased annually in the lifetime of this Government from 154 (148 w.t.e.) to its current level of 177 (168 w.t.e) and that I am satisfied at the level of service it is providing to school communities nationwide. 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 would advise that the school Principal, in the first instance, should be contacted in relation to concerns for any pupil which requires intervention from the NEPS service.
