Written Answers Nos. 70-75
70. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the issue of isolation or withdrawal rooms in ASD units in national schools here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7044/14]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the Board of Management of each school is responsible for the care and safety of all of the pupils in their school. Schools should supervise and support children who are distressed or out of control until they have recovered and are able to re-engage in the classroom. Schools may seek advice from their local National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) psychologist, from their NCSE Special Educational Needs Organiser, or from the National Behavioural Support Services, as to how children with behavioural needs can best be supported in school. Some schools withdraw pupils occasionally from the main classroom for short periods of time in order to provide such support/to manage pupil behaviour if they are exhibiting behaviours which may be a danger to themselves and others.
The Department has recently published new Guidelines for Schools on Supporting Students with Behavioural, Emotional, and Social difficulties and training is available for schools in relation to the provision of support for children with special educational needs from the Special Education Support Services (SESS), who can, as part of their designated training modules, provide guidance for schools in relation to containment or management measures for difficult behaviour. My Department has asked the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to prepare Policy Advice on Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. In developing this policy advice, the NCSE will consult widely with parents, professionals and other stakeholders and interested parties while also conducting research in relation to this area. The NCSE will consider the issue of the use of withdrawal/isolation rooms in schools for children with autism in the context of the policy advice.
Where a parent or any other person has concerns about the care or safety of a child they should report these concerns to the Board of Management of the school, or may report the matter as a child protection concern to the HSE or to the Department of Education and Skills.
71. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the number of schools that have constructed small, safe spaces as per the school design guide for ASD units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7045/14]
View answerMy Department has produced technical guidance documentation, which provides information on space planning and design for school authorities and designers in the provision of permanent accommodation for pupils with special educational needs. Schools withdraw pupils occasionally from the main classroom for short periods of time in order to provide such support/ manage pupil behaviour if they are exhibiting behaviours which may be a danger to themselves or others until they are able to re-engage in the classroom.
My Department has asked the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to prepare policy advice on educational provision for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. In developing this policy advice, the NCSE will consult widely with parents, professionals and other stakeholders and interested parties, while also conducting research in relation to this area. As part of the process to develop this policy advice, the NCSE will consider the issue of the use of withdrawal rooms/safe spaces in schools for children with autism.
72. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider mandatory training for teachers assigned to ASD units in national schools. [7046/14]
View answerUnder the Teaching Council Act 2001, the Teaching Council is the body with statutory regulatory authority for the professional registration of teachers. The Council sets standards of entry to the profession and accredits initial teacher education programmes. I am satisfied that primary teachers are qualified to teach in a wide range of school environments including ASD units. In the Education (Amendment) Act 2012, the Teaching Council Act 2001 was amended to enable the Council to regulate for conditions for renewal of teacher registration including attendance at programmes of continuing education and training. When Section 39 is commenced, the Council will have authority to review and accredit programmes providing continuing training and professional development for teachers.
My Department currently provides for a comprehensive system of continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers in the area of special educational needs. The Special Education Support Service (SESS) provides evidence based support for teachers of pupils across a wide range of special educational needs including ASD having regard to best practice. A range of specialist programmes are available nationally. Practice in this area continues to develop and evolve as new research becomes available. The National Council for Special Education has a formal role under Section 20.1(j) of EPSEN to advise the Minister 'in relation to any matter relating to the education of children and others with disabilities'. I have requested the NCSE to prepare Policy Advice on the Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The NCSE have commissioned research which will inform the advice. I expect that the NCSE final report will reflect the broadest possible range of views and provide recommendations which will assist the development of policy for future years.
73. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to reinstate a teacher following serious concerns for the future of the school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7053/14]
View answerAs part of the Budget 2012 decisions, the number of pupils required to gain and retain a classroom teaching post in small primary schools is being gradually increased between September 2012 and September 2014. An appeals process is available to small schools which have had their staff number reduced as a result of the budget measure. The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an appeal to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board for the current school year. The appeal was refused as it did not meet the appeal criteria. The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
The single allocation process for learning support (General Allocation Model) and language support, introduced in September 2012, provides an allocation based on the number of mainstream teachers in the school. The allocation is based on the number of mainstream classroom posts in schools in the previous school year.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including the allocation of resource teaching support to schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of Special Education supports and the staffing resources available to my Department.
It is a matter for schools to monitor and utilise and monitor their additional teaching support to best support the needs of identified pupils, in accordance with my Department's guidance.All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.
The staffing arrangements for the 2014/15 school year (Circular 0007/2014) were published in January and are available on the Department website.
The Government recognises that small schools are an important part of the social fabric of rural communities. They will continue to be a feature of our education landscape. In these extremely challenging times, all public servants are being asked to deliver our public services on a reduced level of resources and teachers in small schools cannot be immune from this requirement.
74. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a child (details supplied) in County Tipperary who will be attending a special needs school is being denied school transportation because the intervention team in their area no longer put the recommended school in writing as part of their assessment; if he will investigate this problem and rectify same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7058/14]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that children with special educational needs are eligible for school transport if they are attending the nearest recognised: mainstream school, special class / special school or a unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet their special educational needs.
An application form for school transport has not been received by my Department on behalf of the pupil referred to in the details supplied.
In relation to the issues raised by the Deputy, there are discussions ongoing between officials at my Department, the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive and the National Council for Special Education in order to ensure that a resolution be found in advance of the coming school year.
75. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will include in the new adult literacy and numeracy strategy being developed as part of the further education and training strategy the following elements: awareness raising of learning opportunities and support for greater engagement by persons with literacy and numeracy needs in FET; integrated literacy and numeracy into all FET programmes, thereby ensuring that relevant literacy and numeracy are developed as part of the subject specific learning; intensive learning programmes for people who are unemployed in the workplace and supporting families; blended learning and recognition of prior learning to acquire qualifications at NFQ levels 1 to 4; and an efficient system for evaluating, monitoring and reporting progress and achievement against national targets. [7073/14]
View answerSOLAS, with the input of the ESRI is currently undertaking a comprehensive consultation process with a range of key informants inside and outside of the Further Education and Training (FET) sector including relevant Departments and Agencies, employers, unions, advocacy groups and learners as part of the development of a five year strategy for the FET Sector. This is taking place under the direction of the Board of SOLAS and my Department.
It is expected that a proposed FET Strategy will be available for my consideration towards the end of March 2014. The FET Strategy will include a strategy for the provision of further education and training programmes in the State aimed at promoting, developing and encouraging literacy and numeracy. The precise contents of the Strategy are, in the first instance, a matter for the SOLAS Board. It should be noted, however, that many of the items raised by the Deputy arose in the context of the recent review of adult literacy provision, which is an important input into the strategy.
