I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 184 together.
My Department's policy is to provide for children with special educational needs, including autism, to be included in mainstream schools unless such a placement would not be in their best interests or the interests of the children with whom they are to be educated. Some children may be supported in a special class attached to a mainstream school. These students have the option, where appropriate, of full/partial integration and interaction with other pupils. Other children may have such complex needs that they are best placed in a special school.
The establishment of a network of autism-specific special classes in schools across the country has been a key educational priority in recent years. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports, including the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas as required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.
Details of the special classes for children with autism, including details of special classes for children with autism in the Meath area, are available on the NCSE website http: //www.ncse.ie. The contact information details for individual schools is available on the Department's website http://www.education.ie/en/find-a-school. Details of the numbers of children with autism who transition from primary to secondary school in the county are not readily available.
All primary and post primary schools have access to psychological support from the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS). This may take the form of assessment, where needed, or advice on intervention and educational planning for pupils with special educational needs, including autism. The NEPS focusses on providing necessary support to schools in facilitating the effective transition of pupils from primary to post primary schooling. This may involve assessment and review by the teacher, by the psychologist or both, to inform educational planning in second level. As part of this NEPS service, necessary psychological assessments are carried out in a timely manner. In instances where the school's assigned NEPS psychologist is not available, the school may access psychological assessments through the Scheme for commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA), full details of which are on the Department's website. 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.
Queries on the waiting time for psychological assessments undertaken by the HSE in Co. Meath are a matter for my colleague the Minister for Health.
