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Autism Support Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 October 2020

Tuesday, 6 October 2020

Questions (435, 436)

John Brady

Question:

435. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education the number of autism spectrum disorder class places at primary level for new enrolment available for the year 2021-2022 in Bray, County Wicklow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28114/20]

View answer

John Brady

Question:

436. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education her policy if there are no autism spectrum disorder class spaces for primary level available for incoming students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28115/20]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 435 and 436 together.

Ensuring that every child has a suitable school placement is a key objective of this Department. Significant resources are allocated each year to ensure that appropriate supports are available for children with special educational needs.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide; has well established structures in place for engaging with schools and parents; and seeks to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing special education placements.

The NCSE is planning a further expansion of special class and special school places nationally, including Wicklow, to meet identified need for this school-year and beyond. This process is ongoing.

It is open to any school to make an application to the NCSE for the establishment of a specialised provision and where sanctioned, a range of supports, including capital funding, is made available to the school. My Department works closely with the NCSE in this regard.

The NCSE's local Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) are available to assist and advise both schools and the parents of children with special educational needs. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available at: https://ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list

There are currently three schools with a total of five special classes for Autism at primary level in Bray Co. Wicklow.

While NCSE has confirmed that there are available places in these schools for the 2021/2022 school year, NCSE will be contacting all schools in the area shortly to develop provision based on projected need in the area.

In circumstances where no placement is available for a child with special educational needs, the Department can provide Home Tuition grant funding towards the provision of 20 hours home tuition per week as an interim measure until the NCSE confirms that a placement is available.

Home Tuition will not however be available where a school placement has been identified by the NCSE. Similarly, failure to enrol a child in school will not give rise to eligibility for home tuition.

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