Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 October 2015
664. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide details of the in-school supports that are available, depending on the needs of the individual child, for a child in second level education diagnosed with dyspraxia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34545/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides for a range of services and supports to ensure that children with special educational needs, including children with Dyspraxia, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs.
These supports include additional teaching and care support, enhanced capitation, specialist school transport arrangements, assistive technology and/or specialist equipment, adaptations for school buildings where necessary and additional training for teachers of children with special educational needs, including teachers of children with Dyspraxia.
Children with Dyspraxia attending Post Primary school may be entitled to additional teaching provision in school, either under the terms of the school's teaching allocation for pupils with high incidence special educational needs if the educational psychological assessment places the child in the high incidence disability category, or through an allocation of additional resources if the child is assessed as being within the low incidence category of special need, as defined by my Department's circular. The precise level of support is determined by the special educational needs of the particular child.
Guidance has been provided for schools on the manner in which they should use the resources that have been allocated to them to best effect. My Department's Circulars 02/2005 and 0070/2014 provide guidelines in relation to the utilisation of additional teaching support for pupils with special educational needs.
In addition, the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) has produced guidelines for schools entitled 'A Continuum of Support for Post Primary Schools' which describes the graduated problem-solving model of assessment and intervention in schools, which is available on my Department's website www.education.gov.ie.
It is a matter for schools to monitor and utilise their allocation of additional teaching support to best support the needs of identified pupils, in accordance with my Department's guidance.
Finally, my Department provides for support for teachers with additional training needs in the area of Dyspraxia. The Special Education Support Service (SESS) manages, co-ordinates and develops a range of supports in response to identified teacher training needs. The SESS provides Continuing Professional Development (CPD) support for teachers of pupils with Dyspraxia through an Inclusive Learning Resource Teachers course as well as an online resource facility and an online book borrowing facility.
