Written Answers Nos. 1034-1053
1035. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Education the number of instances in which schools were not approved for SNA support in County Meath in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40547/21]
View answer1036. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Education the number of instances in which schools were not approved for SNA support in County Westmeath in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40548/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1035 and 1036 together.
The numbers of special classes, special education teachers and Special Needs Assistants are at unprecedented levels.
My Department will spend approximately €2 Billion, or over 20% of its total educational budget on making additional provision for children with special educational needs in 2021.
This represents an increase of over 50% in total expenditure since 2011, at which point €1.247 Billion per annum was provided.
Budget 2021 provided for an additional 990 additional SNAs for allocation to schools, bringing the total numbers to 18,000 by December 2021.
This allocation of SNAs is to meet the care needs of pupils in 2021 and will enable the establishment of new special classes, creation of new places in special schools, support children in mainstream classes for the 2021/22 school year.
This will represent an increase of increase of 70% in the number of SNAs provided since 2011 at which point 10,575 SNAs were available.
The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews. The Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations.
The NCSE publish statistics on SNA allocations to primary, post primary and special schools in tabular form, by county and by school, for each school year, this information is available on their website, www.ncse.ie .
As this question relates to the statistics on the allocation of SNA support, I have referred the question to the NCSE for their direct reply.
1037. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Education the schools that were given approval for SNA support in County Meath in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40549/21]
View answer1038. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Education the schools that were given approval for SNA support in County Westmeath in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40550/21]
View answer1039. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Education the number of schools given approval for SNA support in each county in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [40551/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1037 to 1039, inclusive, together.
The numbers of special classes, special education teachers and Special Needs Assistants are at unprecedented levels.
My Department will spend approximately €2 Billion, or over 20% of its total educational budget on making additional provision for children with special educational needs in 2021.
This represents an increase of over 50% in total expenditure since 2011, at which point €1.247 Billion per annum was provided.
Budget 2021 provided for an additional 990 additional SNAs for allocation to schools, bringing the total numbers to 18,000 by December 2021.a
This allocation of SNAs is to meet the care needs of pupils in 2021 and will enable the establishment of new special classes, creation of new places in special schools, support children in mainstream classes for the 2021/22 school year.
This will represent an increase of increase of 70% in the number of SNAs provided since 2011 at which point 10,575 SNAs were available.
The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews. The Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations.
The NCSE publish statistics on SNA allocations to primary, post primary and special schools in tabular form, by county and by school, for each school year, this information is available on their website, www.ncse.ie .
As this question relates to the statistics on the allocation of SNA support, I have referred the question to the NCSE for their direct reply.
1040. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education the status of the new school building for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40556/21]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Cavan & Monaghan Education and Training Board (CMETB).
I am pleased to advise of the recent appointment of the design team.
This design team will now design the buildings, obtain the necessary statutory planning permissions, and move the project onward to tender and construction in due course.
While at this early stage it is not possible to provide a timeline for completion of the project. CMETB will be engaging directly with the school authority to keep it informed of progress.
1041. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education the estimated number of children with special needs that have withdrawn from schools in County Kerry by school in each of the years 2015 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [40590/21]
View answerThe data requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department.
It is the policy of my Department that all children with Special Educational Needs 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.
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. Further information on the Home Tuition Grant Scheme is available on my Department's website www.education.ie.
Under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 parents are responsible for making sure their child receives an education. The law also says that every child between the ages of 6 and 16 must attend school or otherwise receive an education. Most children attend recognised schools although some are educated at home or in non-recognised schools.
If a parent decides to educate their child outside of a recognised school, for example in the home, they must register the child with the Child and Family Agency; further information is available on www.tusla.ie in this regard. This requirement exists in order to support parents in their right to home educate and to safeguard a child’s right to a minimum education.
Under Section 23 of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 the board of management of every recognised school is legally obliged to prepare a code of behaviour in respect of the students registered in their school. This code of behaviour is prepared in consultation with the principal, teaching staff, the parents of students registered in the school and the Educational Welfare Officer (EWO). Furthermore the code of behaviour is prepared in accordance with such guidelines issued by Tusla Education Support Services.
In instances where the board of management of a recognised school is of the opinion that a student should be expelled from their school, the board must, before expelling the student, notify the EWO in writing and outline the reasons for the proposed expulsion. Section 24 (3) of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 provides that the EWO shall, after receiving such notification, make all reasonable efforts to consult with the principal or person nominated by the principal, the student and his or her parents and convene a meeting attended by such of those persons as agree to attend such a meeting.
The Education (Welfare) Act 2000 section 24 (4) provides that a student shall not be expelled from a school before the passing of 20 school days following the receipt of a notification under section 24 of this act, by an Educational Welfare Officer (EWO). Where a board of management make a decision to permanent exclude a student, a parent/guardian can appeal that decision under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998, and an independent appeals committee will be appointed to consider the appeal.
Since the inception of the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 schools are obliged to report on school attendance. Schools report individual student absences and expulsions to TUSLA, my Department does not collect data requested by the Deputy.
Further information and details of how a school can submit an attendance report to TUSLA on its website at www.tusla.ie/tess/tess-ews/reporting-absenteeism/. The Educational Welfare Services (EWS) of the Child and Family Agency can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child or can offer assistance where a child is out of school.
1042. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Education the number of children in County Wexford that are awaiting an appointment with a NEPS psychologist; the number that are waiting less than six, six to 12 and more than 12 months, respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40617/21]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries arising, and access to individual pupil casework via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments. (SCPA).
NEPS does not maintain waiting lists but in common with many other psychological services and best international practice, 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 maximize 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.
The Deputy may be aware that in 2017 my Department introduced a new model to support pupils with special educational needs. This means schools are now front-loaded with additional teachers to enable them to respond to pupil needs, rather than requiring an assessment to allow them to apply for such additional resource. This reduces the administrative burden on schools as schools will no longer have to complete an application process annually and apply for newly enrolled pupils who require additional teaching support. Children who need support can have that support provided immediately rather than having to wait for a diagnosis.
Furthermore I can inform the Deputy that starting from a level of 173 whole-time equivalents in 2016 and following increases allowed in successive Budgets the sanctioned number for NEPS psychologist currently stands at 221 w.t.e. psychologists.
I would advise that if there are concerns in relation to the educational or social and emotional development of any student these should be raised by the parents, in the first instance, with the Principal of the school he/she is attending, with a view to Principal discussing the situation with the assigned NEPS psychologist or local NEPS service.
1043. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Education the last occasion on which a Department-wide review of all funding within her Department took place; the frequency of such reviews; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40632/21]
View answerThe annual funding allocation for my Department is agreed following extensive consideration of the requirements for the primary and post primary schools sectors. As part of that process, funding requirements are subject to detailed scrutiny and to engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The agreed allocation is set out in the annual Revised Estimates which are presented to Dáil Éireann and then subject to consideration by the relevant Select Committee. The annual Appropriation Accounts for my Department are subject to review and audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General and are published following certification.
In recent years, significant areas of my Department’s expenditure and certain policy initiatives have been the subject of Spending Reviews conducted by my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. For example, two recent Spending Review papers have examined the teacher allocation process in order to inform expenditure planning in that area.
Since 2017, the Spending Review process has become a key platform for public expenditure analysis. The Spending Review process builds on previous rounds of Comprehensive Reviews of Expenditure, in which my Department participated.
These annual reviews subject programmes/policy areas to critical assessment on a rolling basis and support the Government’s deliberations in setting multi-annual expenditure ceilings. They also provide Government with the opportunity to examine how public resources have been used, to set out how public resources could be used – to prioritise – and to examine where new spending proposals can be accommodated within existing budgets. All of the reviews, including those relevant to the work of my Department, are published on the website www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/7dc2b1-spending-review/.
It should be noted also that capital planning and budgeting is undertaken on a multi-annual basis. The specific allocations in each area are closely monitored and may be adjusted from year to year to take account of project progress and other factors. My Department proactively manages its capital allocation across the various subheads and budget lines to advance its school building and other capital investment priorities.
1044. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Education if she will review the decision not to allocate a second SNA for a school (details supplied) in County Waterford through the exceptional review process given the significant care needs and early intervention requirements of a specific child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40647/21]
View answerThe NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews. My Department does not have a role in making determinations in individual cases and accordingly your question will be forwarded to the NCSE for direct response.
The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.
SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management of the school. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated.
It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
In light of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the introduction of the new Front-loaded Allocation Model for SNAs for students in mainstream classes in primary and post -primary schools is to be deferred for a further year to the beginning of the 2022/23 school year.
In order to minimise disruption for schools, in the current circumstances, and to provide for continuity of allocations the following arrangements for the allocation of Special Needs Assistants for mainstream classes for the 2021/22 school year:
- Existing mainstream class SNA allocations in schools on 30 April 2021 will be maintained and will automatically roll over into the 2021/22 school year.
- No school will therefore receive an allocation less than that which they had on 30 April 2021.
- SNAs currently in mainstream settings can continue in post for the next school year in the normal way.
- Priority consideration will now be given by the NCSE to applications for increased support for the 2021/22 school year, in particular, applications from schools with no SNAs and developing schools will be prioritised. Determinations will be made before 30 June. Other applications will be processed in order of date received.
- As in previous years, where circumstances change during the course of the 2021/22 school year that materially increase the level of care need in a school to the extent that the school can clearly demonstrate that it cannot be met within the existing SNA allocation, the school may apply to the NCSE for a review. Detailed information on the NCSE exceptional review process is published on the NCSE website http://ncse.ie/for-schools.
The NCSE have published the SNA allocations on their website www.ncse.ie.
SNA allocations for special classes and special schools are not affected by this arrangement.
Circular 0029/2021 has been published and advises schools of the arrangements for the allocation of SNAs for the 2021/22 school year.
Provisions set out in Circular 0030/2020 has been extended for the 2021/22 school year.
Circulars 29/2021 and 30/2020 are available on the Departments website.
1045. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Education the status of the Summer Provision 2021; if the appointments process has met the needs of both staff and students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40648/21]
View answerIn May 2021 the Government announced a package of supports to allow primary and post primary to offer a summer programme for students with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage, as a COVID-19 pandemic response measure, for summer 2021.
The total funding available to provide summer programmes this year is up to €40 million, a one hundred per cent increase on the allocation for summer programmes in 2020.
The programme was developed following extensive engagement with education stakeholders, parent and disability advocacy groups.
The programme aims are to support pupils to maintain their connection with education, to build their confidence and increase their motivation, promote well-being and for those who are at key transition stages, help to ensure that they continue their education journey in September either in school or in further/higher education or training.
The programmes on offer this summer include a new 2-3 week summer programme available to all primary schools and an expansion of the existing programmes in special schools and classes and in DEIS schools.
Existing programmes:
- Literacy and numeracy camps in DEIS primary schools
- A school-based summer programme in primary special classes and special schools.
- Home-based provision for students with complex needs where no school-based programme is available.
New programmes:
- All primary schools had the opportunity to provide a 2 week summer programme for mainstream pupils with complex needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage.
- All Post Primary Schools had the opportunity to provide a 2 week summer programme for students with complex needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage
Similar to last year children with complex needs entering primary school next September are also eligible to participate in summer programmes.
This range of programmes on offer builds on the success of the expanded programmes that ran last year and incorporates feedback from education stakeholders as to how to better support the programme for all involved in summer 2021.
The Department has addressed concerns previously raised by stakeholders by introducing measures to support schools to encourage schools to offer the programme, funding for a programme overseer, preparation time, faster payments of staff, ease of administrative burden on schools and greater guidance materials on programme content.
In addition the programmes can be run at any time over the summer providing schools with autonomy to split the programme weeks to best meet the needs of pupils and staff participating in the programme. Schools were also given the opportunity to appeal any element of the resource allocation for the programme.
A home-based summer programme is available for students with complex special educational needs where a place on a school-based programme is not available to them. Under the home-based strand grant funding is made available so that parents/legal guardians can engage the services of a Teacher or an SNA to provide tuition or care support as appropriate in the child’s home. Parents of eligible children may arrange their programme over the school summer holidays to best suit their needs. An additional 10 hours has also been made available to pupils participating in the home-based programme who were eligible for the supplementary programme earlier in the year but were unable to avail of any hours at the time it was running.
Further details on the different strands including available supports are available at gov.ie/summerprovision. This includes promotional materials such as posters for parents, and information videos for schools. A dedicated helpline and email address has also been available to schools since the launch of the programme.
An extended timeline for registration was also provided. Schools had until 25 June 2021 to register.
The registrations as of 25 June are as follows:
Post primary (no of schemes proposed to be run)
|
Inclusion programme |
Special classes |
|
120 |
4 |
A total of 124 post primary schools have registered
Primary (number of schemes proposed to be run)
|
Special Class Programme |
Special School |
Inclusion Programme |
DEIS Primary School Literacy and Numeracy Camps |
|
356 |
48 |
466 |
352* |
A total of 844 primary schools (including special schools have registered as providing at least one scheme.
Totals
|
Total Post-Primary Schemes |
Total Schemes |
|
124 |
1346 |
A total of 968 primary and post primary schools registered for the programme
Claim forms for the home-based strand are submitted at the end of the programme, with a closing date of 03 September 2021, so actual participation numbers will not be available until late October/early November.
Last week I wrote to all schools that had registered for the programme, to thank them for their interest and inviting them to provide feedback on their experience.
In line with policy advice received from the NCSE, a review of the July Provision programme was commenced in 2019. This review process was paused due to the impact of COVID-19, during which the summer education programme was significantly enhanced and expanded to take into account the effect of school closures. The review of the programme will recommence at the earliest possible stage.
1046. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education the position regarding the absence of autism spectrum disorder units in the primary and secondary schools in Ballybay, County Monaghan; the provision of ASD units in surrounding areas that covers this shortfall; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40651/21]
View answer1051. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education the status of the absence of any ASD units in the primary and secondary schools in Ballybay, County Monaghan; the provision of ASD units in surrounding areas that covers this shortfall; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40760/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1046 and 1051 together.
Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. The Department of Education will spend approximately €2 Billion or just under 25% of its total educational budget in 2021 on making additional provision for children with special educational needs this year.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. It has well established structures in place for engaging with schools and parents. NCSE seeks to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing special education placements.
NCSE is planning a further expansion of special education places nationally, to meet identified need. This process is ongoing. The NCSE have advised that there are sufficient classes at both primary and post primary level to meet the needs of students in the Ballybay area.
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.
Notwithstanding the extent of this investment, there are some parts of the country where increases in population and other issues have led to concerns regarding a shortage of school places.
Through better planning at both national and local level, it is my objective that specialist education places should come on stream to meet emerging demand on a timely basis. However, the active collaboration of school communities is essential in this regard.
Through ongoing consultation at local level, the NCSE is aware of those parents whose children will be seeking placement for the 2021/22 academic year, including mainstream placement with appropriate support, special class placement, Early Intervention and special school placement. The NCSE continues to work to identify any and all relevant suitable placements.
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: http://ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list.
The specific information requested by the Deputy on special classes is also available directly on the NCSE's website at www.ncse.ie.
1047. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education the mental health support services that will be brought on stream in post-primary education to assist pupils who were affected most by the closures due to Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40732/21]
View answerThe Department’s approach to supporting well-being and mental health is set out in its Well-being Policy Statement and Framework for Practice first published in 2018 and refreshed in 2019. The approach proposed is a whole school and preventative approach which has multiple components that include providing children and young people with opportunities to:
- build core social and emotional skills and competencies
- experience supportive relationships within the school setting
- be part of a school environment and culture that feels both physically and psychologically safe, in which they feel a sense of belonging and connectedness, where their voice is heard, and they feel supported
Schools are encouraged to use a reflective, school self-evaluation approach to identify and prioritise the needs of its own school community in relation to the promotion of well-being and mental health, and to respond to meeting those needs.
This approach to supporting well-being has been found internationally to produce a wide range of educational and social benefits for individual children and young people, including increased inclusion, greater social cohesion, increased social capital and improvements in mental health.
Embedded in the whole-school approach is the recognition that members of the school community may have different needs at different times and that a continuum of support in relation to well-being should be made available.
A broad range of supports, resources and professional learning opportunities are being provided to support schools to promote and support well-being and resilience by the Department’s support services. The services support schools to provide strong universal support at the level of whole school and classroom, more targeted support for some children and young people who may be at risk, and more individualised support for those with greatest need. Support is provided to primary and post-primary school staff through the following services and supports:
- The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS)
- Guidance Counselling service/provision
- National Council for Special Education (NCSE)
- Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) Well-being Team
- Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) Support Service
- Education Support Centres Ireland (ESCI)
My Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides a school-based, consultative, psychological service in two ways – through the provision of an individual casework service for students and a support and development service for school staff.
The NEPS casework service involves the provision of a psychological service for a student, with the psychologist working with the student, teachers and parents, and other professionals if appropriate, to identify need and plan for intervention and review to support the student in school. This service can take place over an extended period of time with NEPS psychologists. This model does not operate on a waiting list basis, and extends to approximately 8000 students per annum.
The NEPS Support and Development service, reaching an estimated 25,000 teachers annually, is an applied psychological service for school staff to help build their capability to respond to the well-being, academic, social and emotional needs of all students, and particularly those who are experiencing barriers to their well-being, learning, inclusion and participation.
This model of service 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.
The capacity of NEPS has increased significantly from its 2016 allocation of 173 whole-time equivalent psychologists. The capacity of NEPS was increased as part of a package of measures to support the reopening of our schools when the provision of an additional seventeen psychologist posts to NEPS was announced bringing overall sanctioned numbers to 221 whole-time equivalent psychologist posts. This represents by far the highest number of psychologists sanctioned for NEPS since its inception in 2000. The capacity of NEPS will be kept under review and I hope to be in a position to increase this capacity in future years.
A Student Support Team is a student-focused mechanism put in place by a school in order to co-ordinate the support available for students in the school and to facilitate links to the community and other non-school support services. NEPS provides support to post primary schools in the setting up or review of Student Support Teams.
Also at post primary level, counselling is a key part of the role of the Guidance Counsellor, offered on an individual or group basis as part of a developmental learning process, at moments of personal crisis but also at key transition points. Guidance allocations for all schools were increased in the 2020/21 school year. The Guidance Counsellor also identifies and supports the referral of students to external counselling agencies and professionals, as required. Each post primary school currently receives an allocation in respect of guidance provision, calculated by reference to the approved enrolment.
The Department of Health has responsibility for the provision of counselling services in Ireland, and through HSE Primary Care Psychology and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) provides clinical support to children and young people with mental health needs. In addition, the HSE and its funded providers, provide e-mental health services that offer online text and telephone supports to people seeking mental health information and advice. These include services provided by the Samaritans, Pieta House, MyMind, Turn2Me, Aware, Crisis Text Ireland, Shine, BeLongTo, LGBT Ireland, Jigsaw, spunout, Bodywhys and Childline.
My Department – through NEPS, Student Support Teams, Guidance Counsellors and other services - will continue to signpost schools and students to the HSE/HSE-funded e-mental health services.
My Department has built strong links with the Department of Health and both Departments are exploring ways to improve supports for young people, including around increased awareness, promoting help-seeking behaviour and sign-posting to the wide range of available services. We will continue to collectively explore ways of improving supports for children and young people.
1048. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education if her Department can replace the term "unit" in all references to ASD thus ensuring inclusiveness, integration and togetherness which the word "unit" is the antithesis of, and as it immediately labels and stigmatises students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40733/21]
View answerI wish to thank the Deputy for raising this important issue.
My Department is very conscious of the issue of the language around autism, and this includes the use of the term “unit” to describe an ASD class. In this regard, the Department uses the term special classes instead.
My Department will continue to emphasise the replacement of this word and seek to ensure that it is not used in any correspondence that is issued or documentation that is published.
1049. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education if she will provide national figures and other data on the use of exclusion, isolation and restraint and of reduced school hours for the periods of in-school classes for the past five academic years by the ethnicity, gender, disability status and school district of the students these methods were used on; if she has measures in place to collect this information on an ongoing basis and to require that such incidents are reported to the relevant bodies, including her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40756/21]
View answer1050. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education if there is a procedure in place to identify cases in which the use of exclusion, isolation, restraint and reduced school hours were used inappropriately or in which they caused harm to the child and to intervene in circumstances in which patterns of over-reliance on these methods is identified and in cases in which a teacher or other staff member is concerned in relation to the use of these methods in their school; if there is an appropriate pathway by which they can raise these concerns for investigation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40757/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1049 and 1050 together.
The Board of Management of each school is responsible for the care and safety of all of the pupils in their school. Schools should supervise and support children who are distressed or out of control until they have recovered and are able to re-engage in the classroom. In some circumstances this may mean the temporary removal of a child from the environment where the problems have arisen.
Schools owe a duty of care to all their students and any action taken in relation to managing behaviour must be proportionate.
Tusla's Educational Welfare Service, has published guidelines for schools on Codes of Behaviour which all schools are required by law to have in place. The guidelines advise that specialised behaviour management strategies, such as the use of restraint, should not be used without expert advice, training and monitoring. In particular, the guidelines point to certain sanctions which are regarded as inappropriate, including leaving a student in an unsupervised situation while in the care of the school. All parents must be made aware of behaviour management strategies employed by the school.
Schools may seek advice from their local National Educational Psychological Services psychologist, from the NCSE’s Support Service which includes Special Educational Needs Organisers, the National Behavioural Support Service and the Special Education Support Service, as to how children with behavioural needs can best be supported in school.
A range of guidance is available for schools in relation to the management of student behaviour. The Department published Guidelines for Supporting Pupils with Behavioural, Emotional, and Social Difficulties, which is available on the Department’s website, www.education.ie. The National Educational Psychological Services document Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties – A Continuum of Support also provides advice for teachers, including some advice on the use of “time out” procedures in the classroom.
Training is available for schools in relation to the provision of support for children with special educational needs from the NCSE’s Regional Service. The Special Education Support Service can, as part of their designated training modules, provide guidance for schools in relation to the management of difficult behaviour.
Further to the receipt of policy advice from the NCSE, the Department of Education established an Expert Working Group to develop guidelines for schools on the prevention and management of challenging behaviours (including the use of physical interventions) where such behaviour is considered as likely to present serious risk of physical harm to the student concerned and/or others within the school environment.
Development of the Guidelines has been informed by evidence showing that whole school positive behavioural approaches and early and ongoing engagement with the school community, including parents/guardians, are necessary for the development of effective school policy and practice.
Following consideration of the views and contributions received as part of the consultation process, a final draft of the guidelines has been prepared and is being considered by the Department. They place a strong focus on prevention and early intervention strategies for the management of crisis student behaviour in which physical intervention may be employed only as the last part of a comprehensive, positive and planned behavioural approach by the school. They are underpinned by the principles that such intervention is never used for the purposes of discipline; that it should be applied proportionately and should last only as long as is necessary to de-escalate the situation. The guidelines underline the importance of continued supervision of children during a crisis period including matters related to behaviour and the need for such incidents to be recorded.
The guidelines when issued will apply to all schools. In this regard, consideration is being given to the implementation of guidelines by schools including the kind of supports and training that may be required.
The Department will also publish Guidelines on the use of Reduced Timetables in Schools is to ensure that the use of reduced timetables are limited to only those circumstances where it is absolutely necessary and, that where such usage occurs, schools follow best practice with the best interests of the student to the fore. The Guidelines will outline a number of key requirements for the use of reduced timetables.
The Department is working with Tusla Education Support Service with the intention to issue the Guidelines on the use of Reduced Timetables in Schools to schools early in the next school year. The purpose of the Guidelines is to ensure that the use of reduced timetables are limited to only those circumstances where it is absolutely necessary and, that where such usage occurs, schools follow best practice with the best interests of the student to the fore. The Guidelines will outline a number of key requirements for the use of reduced timetables.
It is intended that the operation of the guidelines will be reviewed after an initial period and the data gathered will inform future policy in this area.
Under Section 23 of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 the board of management of every recognised school is legally obliged to prepare a code of behaviour in respect of the students registered in their school. This code of behaviour is prepared in consultation with the principal, teaching staff, the parents of students registered in the school and the Educational Welfare Officer (EWO). Furthermore the code of behaviour is prepared in accordance with such guidelines issued by Tusla Education Support Services.
In instances where the board of management of a recognised school is of the opinion that a student should be expelled from their school, the board must, before expelling the student, notify the EWO in writing and outline the reasons for the proposed expulsion. Section 24 (3) of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 provides that the EWO shall, after receiving such notification, make all reasonable efforts to consult with the principal or person nominated by the principal, the student and his or her parents and convene a meeting attended by such of those persons as agree to attend such a meeting.
The Education (Welfare) Act 2000 section 24 (4) provides that a student shall not be expelled from a school before the passing of 20 school days following the receipt of a notification under section 24 of this act, by an Educational Welfare Officer (EWO). Where a board of management make a decision to permanent exclude a student, a parent/guardian can appeal that decision under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998, and an independent appeals committee will be appointed to consider the appeal.
At present, schools are not required to report on the incidence of incidents of seclusion and restraint.
1052. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will report on the resourcing of primary and secondary schools with Covid-19 equipment such as masks, sanitisers, ventilation and testing kit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40815/21]
View answerIt is planned that all schools will return fully at the end of August/early September in line with their normal planned reopening times.
During the last school year significant measures were put in place to reduce the risk of coronavirus being transmitted to/within the school and a significant funding package of approx €650m was made available to support schools in this respect.
The aim of all of the Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures that have been put in place for schools is to support schools to operate safely and prevent the introduction of Covid-19 and also the onward of transmission of Covid-19 among the school community. There is clear evidence from the operation of schools during the past year that schools are low risk environments in terms of the transmission of COVID-19 and that the infection prevention and control measures in place are highly effective in reducing the risk of contracting COVID-19. These measures protect pupils, their parents and school staff.
Managing classroom ventilation is just one of a number of prevention and control measures in place to ensure schools are safe.
Practical steps for the deployment of good ventilation practices was provided to the school system in the context of re-opening for September 2020. This guidance recognises that there is no “one size that fits all” and that ventilation is best managed at local individual school level. The guidance was reviewed and updated in November 2020 and in May 2021.
The May 2021 update took account of the work of an expert group on ventilation that was established to assess the role of ventilation in reducing transmission of Covid-19 across many settings. This included guidance on the role that portable CO2 monitors can play in providing schools with a useful general indication that areas/ rooms may not be adequately ventilated and can enable occupants to become familiar with the impact of activities, outdoor weather and window openings on ventilation levels. The Department is supporting the provision of CO2 monitors to the school system for the new school year through a central competitive procurement process.
Where the practical measures for the deployment of good ventilation practices have been undertaken, and poor ventilation continues to exist in a particular room/area, air cleaners may be considered as an additional measure in conjunction with other methods of ventilation that are available. Room air cleaner selection is dependent on the particular setting.
A copy of the guidance is published at www.gov.ie/en/publication/ad236-guidance-on-ventilation-in-schools/.
My Department has always been guided by public health advice in relation to the infection prevention and control measure appropriate for schools. Schools have been advised that it is expected that they will continue to operate with the current infection prevention and control measures in place to support their safe operation during Covid-19 when they reopen in for the 2021/2022 school year.
Public Health advice is that compliance with these measures ensure that schools remain low risk for children and staff. Schools will continue to be supported in terms of the additional resources necessary to provide for these measures.
The Department will continue to work closely with all of the education partners and public health specialists so that schools will continue to be supported when they reopen for the 2021/2022 school year.
