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Psychological Assessments

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 July 2016

Wednesday, 20 July 2016

Questions (159)

Thomas Byrne

Question:

159. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the average waiting time for students to be publicly assessed for special needs by the National Educational Psychological Service; the number of students with special needs who have received a private assessment of special needs; and if he will provide a breakdown by electoral division or local authority area. [23196/16]

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Written answers

My Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychology service to all primary and post primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA).

NEPS does not maintain waiting lists but, in common with many other psychological services and best international practice, NEPS has adopted a consultative model of service. The focus is on empowering teachers to intervene effectively with pupils whose needs range from mild to severe and transient to enduring. Psychologists use a problem solving and solution oriented consultative approach to maximise positive outcomes for these pupils. NEPS encourages schools to use a continuum based assessment and intervention process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and remedial intervention for pupils with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties. Teachers may consult their NEPS psychologist should they need to at this stage in the process. Only in the event of a failure to make reasonable progress, in spite of the school's best efforts in consultation with NEPS, will the psychologist become involved with an individual child for intensive intervention or assessment.

This system allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent cases and also to help many more children indirectly than could be seen individually. It also ensures that children are not referred unnecessarily for psychological intervention.

My Department's NEPS service records details of the number of individual pupils/students with whom its own staff are directly involved and for whom assessments are provided under the aforementioned SCPA however my Department does not record centrally detail of private assessment undertaken by outside agents.

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