Autism Support Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 May 2014

Tuesday, 27 May 2014

Questions (224)

Clare Daly

Question:

224. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason he has stated that the SESS contemporary applied behaviour analysis course trains teachers to design, implement and evaluate ABA interventions when he has been informed by the Psychology Society of Ireland's division of behaviour analysis that to give this impression was dangerous; and if he will confirm that he is aware that the SESS has previously offered advice stating that teachers offering ABA to students with ASD should receive on-site and off-site supervision from a professionally qualified behaviour analyst. [22415/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Policy on the programmes, interventions and supports for children in education is a matter for my Department. Decisions in this regard are informed by evidence based research and advices received covering a range of matters including pedagogy, school curriculum, special educational needs and child development. The role of the SESS is to attend to the training needs of teachers on foot of these decisions. In selecting and developing suitable programmes, the service is guided by advices from my Department, aegis bodies of the Department where appropriate, relevant research and best practice. SESS is a support service for teachers and is not involved in the supervision or the implementation of ABA and does not advise teachers or my Department in this regard.