Robert Troy
Question:145. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address the two-and-a half-year waiting list for access to a behavioural support unit at primary school level. [42905/17]
View answerTuesday, 10 October 2017
Questions (145)
Written answers
This Government is committed to ensuring that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with severe emotional behavioural disturbance, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post-primary school network.
Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a range of appropriate educational interventions, delivered by fully qualified professional teachers, with the support of Special Needs Assistants and the appropriate school curriculum.
Some students, although academically able to access the curriculum in mainstream, may find it too difficult to manage full-time placement there. Enrolment in a special class can be considered for these students where it has been demonstrated that they are unable to learn effectively in a mainstream class for most or all of the school day even with appropriate supports.
Others students may have such complex needs that they are best placed in a special school.
Since 2011, the NCSE has increased the number of special classes by over 130%, from 548 to 1,300 across the country now, of which 1,042 are Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD, special classes and of which 11 special classes cater specifically for Severe Emotional Behavioural Disturbance.
The NCSE, which is an independent statutory agency, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers, SENOs, in consultation with the relevant education partners, is responsible for the establishment of special school and class placements in various geographical areas where there is an identified need.
The NCSE, in looking to open special classes, must take into account the present and future potential need for such classes, taking particular account of the educational needs of the children concerned. The NCSE will also take account of location and sustainability in looking to establish special classes in certain areas.
Parents/guardians of children with special needs who may need advice or are experiencing difficulties in locating a school placement should contact their local Special Educational Needs Organiser, SENO, as soon as possible for information on available places. The local SENO contact details are available on: www.ncse.ie.
In the case of all new schools, it is general practice to include a Special Needs Unit, SNU, in the accommodation brief for new school buildings, unless local circumstances indicate that it will not be required. Typically, a two-classroom SNU is provided in new primary schools and a two- or four-classroom unit is provided in new post-primary schools.
In the case of existing schools, where a school is not in a position to accommodate a special class within its existing accommodation, it is open to the school to submit an application to the Department for capital funding to (i) re-configure existing spaces within the school building to accommodate the class or (ii) construct additional accommodation.
My Department continues to work with the NCSE to ensure that any required additional special class placements will be available for the forthcoming school years.