Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 October 2016
168. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of assessments undertaken by both NEPS and the scheme for private assessment for the previous school term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29733/16]
View answerBy way of context the Deputy will be aware that 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). Under this scheme schools can have an assessment carried out by a member of the panel of private psychologists approved by NEPS, and NEPS will pay the psychologist the fees for this assessment directly.
My Department's National Educational Psychological Service, in line with best international practice, operates a tiered Consultative Model of Service and supports schools in a continuum of support process. This means that each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and remedial intervention for pupils with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties in consultation, as appropriate, with their assigned NEPS psychologist.
In the event of a pupil not making reasonable progress or where he or she requires further additional support, NEPS may become directly involved with the student offering service to identify need and appropriate intervention which may or may not involve assessment of the student. In 2015/16 NEPS undertook such casework, including assessment, with 7,974 pupils in primary and post-primary schools. In addition, 1,673 assessments were provided to schools through a panel of private practitioners.
In the last term (the final term of the 2015/16 academic year) NEPS psychologists were involved directly with 3,273 individual pupils referred by schools offering service to identify need and appropriate intervention. In addition during the same period 673 assessments were delivered via the SCPA process.
