Written Answers Nos. 218-227
218. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to requests since early 2012, if she will include severe geographic isolation and impossibility of amalgamation with another school because of distance, as a grounds for appealing a mainstream teacher allocation for two, three and four teacher schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34962/14]
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 was gradually increased between September 2012 and September 2014. The final phase of the budget measure took effect from September 2014.
Educational quality for the pupils has to be one of the main criteria in any consideration of primary school size. How best to sustain provision for widely dispersed and small communities does present as a particular challenge, especially in any locality where enrolment in their schools is declining to single figures and amalgamation is not an option because there is no other school nearby.
Our current configuration of small primary schools has been examined by the Department in a value for money (VFM) review. This review took account of the ethos of schools and the locations of small schools relative to other schools of a similar type. I will be considering this review in consultation with my Government colleagues and I intend to publish the report on completion of this consideration process.
219. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the education services that are available for persons with mental health difficulties between the ages of 12 and 18; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35004/14]
View answer224. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons with mental health difficulties that are receiving formal education to prepare for State examinations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35009/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 219 and 224 together.
By way of context I can inform the Deputy that my Department adopts a holistic and integrated approach to supporting the work of schools in promoting positive mental health and to supporting students with a broad range of problems. 'Mental health difficulties' are considered to be encompassed within the area of behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.
The Deputy may be aware that Well-Being in Post-Primary Schools: Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention was launched in January 2013. It was developed by my Department in conjunction with the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive. A similar document for primary schools will be available shortly.
The Well-Being Guidelines provide practical guidance to schools on how they can promote mental health and well-being in an integrated way and they also provide evidence-based advice on how to support young people who may be at risk of suicidal behaviour. The Guidelines have been developed to bring coherence to and build upon the multitude of practices that are already in place in schools to promote well-being. They emphasise the need to use a co-ordinated whole-school approach in the promotion of positive mental health. Support for schools' implementation of the guidelines is shared by the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), the National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS), the Special Education Support Service (SESS) and the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS). The work of these services complements the work of the Health Promotion and Information Officers of the HSE in their health promotion work which encompasses mental health promotion.
The guidelines highlight the fact that school personnel are the best placed professionals to support and work sensitively with students. The NEPS psychologist can support school staff, in particular guidance counsellors, in the identification of students with mental health difficulties and can advise schools on the development of policies related to student well-being and on issues such as bullying. Copies of the post-primary guidelines have been circulated to schools authorities.
The guidelines outline how mental health difficulties are addressed through appropriate curriculum delivery in schools, whole-school ethos, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, student support and pastoral care and the provision of professional development for teachers. In addition other supports such as educational psychological services and guidance and counselling services, and the interface with other agencies, both nationally and locally are available to schools. Schools also engage in a wide range of sport and cultural co-curricular activities which provide an important opportunity for students to experience success and personal growth which is pertinent to addressing mental health difficulties.
Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) is a mandatory part of the curriculum in primary schools and in junior cycle since 2003 and is designed to promote positive mental health. Comprehensive teacher guidelines and curriculum support is accessed through the PDST which provides training and advice for schools and a resource directory. My Department has also issued guidelines to schools on the development of whole-school policies in the areas such as anti-bullying, relationship and sexuality education, substance misuse, managing critical incidents, whole-school guidance planning, etc. which are also important in promoting positive mental health.
The Framework for Junior Cycle, published in October 2012, is underpinned by 8 principles one of which is "Wellbeing", Through Wellbeing the student experience will contribute directly to their physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing and resilience. Learning takes place in a climate focused on collective wellbeing of school, community and society. The Framework contains 24 Statements of Learning which students should experience. One of these statements aims to ensure that the student takes action to safeguard and promote his/her wellbeing and that of others. In addition, there are six key skills required for successful learning by students across the curriculum and for learning beyond school. One of the six key skills of Junior Cycle is Staying Well.
As part of the revised Junior Cycle, short courses are being prepared by the NCCA in SPHE and PE. These courses may be assessed as a part of the School Certificate in the new Junior Cycle.
My Department's National Educational Psychological Service was established in 1999 to support the personal, social and educational development of all children in primary and post-primary schools through the application of psychological theory and practice, having particular regard for children with special educational needs.
NEPS psychologists can support the mental health and well-being of students and teachers at all levels of the school system. The NEPS service provides direct and indirect support to individual students through consultation and casework.
The service also provides systems level support to schools which aims to be preventative and developmental and promotes a continuum of support approach for students with learning, social, emotional or behavioural difficulties. This approach is outlined in the publications Behaviour Emotional and Social Difficulties: A Continuum of Support (2010) and A Continuum of Support Guidelines for Post-Primary Schools (2010) which include resource materials.
NEPS also provides teacher support in implementing the Friends for Life programme. This programme uses a cognitive-behavioural approach to managing anxiety and has both primary and post-primary components. It is complementary to the SPHE curriculum.
Student support is promoted in schools through year head and key tutor systems, home/school links, etc. This is one of the key areas which are evaluated by the Inspectorate as part of a Whole School Evaluation. Psychologists support the student support team and NEPS has produced a booklet Student Support Teams in Post-Primary School which provides advice to schools on reviewing or establishing student support teams. NEPS psychologists will be actively engaging with schools in regard to this guidance in the course of the current academic year.
An important role for NEPS psychologists is the provision of support and advice to schools in relation to managing critical incidents, i.e. traumas, which affect the school community. Each school has been provided with a copy of Responding to Critical Incidents Guidelines for Teachers and Resources Materials (2007). NEPS psychologists have also guided many schools in the development of a critical incident management plan. This enables and empowers schools to respond effectively when an incident occurs. Psychologists are available, upon request from school authorities, to provide advice and assistance to teachers and pupils in the aftermath of such incidents.
NEPS liaises with HSE professionals such as the primary care teams and child and adolescent mental health teams to ensure that pupils with significant mental health difficulties are identified and referred to those teams for support.
In the broader context my Department has allocated teaching resources to a number of Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) units in order to provide for a level of continuity of education to be maintained for pupils who have been admitted to CAMHs units, and who may therefore miss time from their main school.
My Department also allocates Home Tuition hours in order to provide a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic mental ill-health, are unable to attend school or are absent for a significant proportion of the school year and where the degree of absence is such that without supplementary instruction the pupil is unlikely to perform academically at the level appropriate to his/her level of ability.
In relation to the Deputy's second question, he will I know, appreciate that the term 'mental health difficulties' can represent a broad spectrum of problems and conditions relating to behavioural, emotional and social well-being of the student which can range from mild to severe, and transient to enduring. It is considered best practice that the provision of learning support needs for those involved should not involve labelling with a diagnosis.
It would not therefore be feasible or necessarily useful, to provide a count of pupils who could be described in this loose category, nor does my Department have any facility to so do.
220. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students that did not sit the State examinations in 2012 due to mental health issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35005/14]
View answer221. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students that did not sit the State examinations in 2013 due to mental health issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35006/14]
View answer222. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students that did not sit the State examinations in 2014 due to mental health issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35007/14]
View answer223. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the procedures that are in place for a student with mental health difficulties to take State exams; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35008/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 220 to 223, inclusive, together.
The State Examinations Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations (RACE scheme) designed to assist candidates with special needs at the certificate examinations. Within the context of the RACE scheme the term 'special need' applies to candidates who have a physical disability, including visual and hearing impairments, or a specific learning difficulty.
Reasonable accommodations are intended:
(a) to remove, as far as possible, the impact of the disability on the candidate's performance and thus enable the candidate to demonstrate his or her level of attainment; and
(b) to ensure that, whilst giving candidates every opportunity to demonstrate their level of attainment, the special arrangements will not give the candidate an unfair advantage over other candidates in the same examination.
Examination candidates with mental health difficulties, including emotional or behavioural issues, may be accommodated within the scheme. In the main the accommodation sought for candidates with mental health difficulties is access to a special centre or the granting of rest breaks during the examination session. Each year, arrangements are also made to cater for emergencies during the period of the written examinations. These include alterations to the standard timetable and special sittings in venues such as hospitals.
Detailed information about the RACE scheme, including how to apply, is provided annually to all schools and further detailed information about the scheme is available from the SEC's website www.examinations.ie.
Question No. 224 answered with Question No. 219.
225. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will sanction an additional teaching post at a school (details supplied) in County Cavan taking into account the very detailed submission made by the board of management in relation to the needs of this particular school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35015/14]
View answerThe staffing appeal process at primary level includes the provision whereby schools with a high concentration of pupils requiring English as an additional language (EAL) can apply for further additional temporary language support posts. The appeal criteria are set out in Circular 0007/2014. Appeals must be submitted to Primary Allocations Section, Department of Education and Skills, on the form provided in Appendix F of Circular 0007/2014.
My Department has not received an application to date from the school referred to by the Deputy.
The next meeting of the Primary Staffing Appeals Board will be held in October. The closing dates for submission of staffing appeals to the October meeting, as published on the Department website, is Friday 3rd October.
The Appeal Board operates independently of the Minister and the Department and its decision is final.
226. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills regarding CAO statistics which state that 15% from Dublin 17 and 94% from Dublin 4 and 6 go to college, the percentage from each area that qualify for a grant in view of the fact that it is income related; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35026/14]
View answerUnder the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. I regret that the information requested in not collated in the format requested by the Deputy.
227. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the eligibility and entitlement to higher education grant in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has received conflicting information in this regard despite their obvious eligibility on income and academic grounds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35075/14]
View answerOfficials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that the grant applications of the student referred to by the Deputy and her sister are currently under review and the students will be informed directly of the outcome of the review. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to the appeals officer in SUSI. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board. The relevant appeal form is available to download from http://www.studentfinance.ie/downloads/1375344221/2013_SGAB_appeal_form.pdf
