Robert Troy
Question:96. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to provide an ASD unit at a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23810/18]
View answerWednesday, 30 May 2018
Questions (96)
Written answers
My Department provides for a range of placement options and supports for schools, which have enrolled students with special educational needs, in order to ensure that wherever a child is enrolled, s/he will have access to an appropriate education.
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.
My Department therefore provides for a continuum of provision which includes mainstream school placements with additional supports, or for pupils who require more specialist interventions, special school and special class placements.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for organising and planning provision for children with Special Educational Needs, including the establishment of special classes in mainstream primary and post primary schools.
This network includes 130 ASD early intervention classes, 641 primary ASD classes and 277 post-primary ASD classes in mainstream schools and 125 Special Schools.
ASD Early Intervention classes are available for children aged 3-5 with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Early intervention classes are intended to provide early support for children with ASD before they start school. Following early intervention, children will attend a mainstream class unless there is professional guidance that they require a special class or a placement in a special school.
The NCSE, in looking to open special classes in certain areas, must take into account the present and future potential need for such classes, taking account of location, sustainability, the accommodation and accessibility of schools in the area and the number of special classes, already in schools in the area.
While it is not always possible to ensure that a special class placement will be available in a child’s local school, the NCSE are satisfied that there are sufficient ASD special class placements to meet the projected need for students in Co. Longford in the forthcoming school year.
The school referred to by the Deputy currently operates an ASD Early Intervention class and a Primary ASD Special Class.
Should the NCSE identify the requirement for additional special class placements in the future it will contact schools in the area in relation to establishing an ASD special class.
Parents/Guardians who may need advice or are experiencing difficulties in locating a school placement, including special class placement, should contact their local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) who can assist in identifying an appropriate educational placement for their child. Contact details are available at http://ncse.ie/seno-contact-list.
My Department continues to work with the NCSE to ensure that there is appropriate planning in place to ensure that all children who require special class placements can access such placements in schools within their communities.