Niall Collins
Question:103. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education the visiting teacher availability from September 2022 for a student (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21394/22]
View answerWednesday, 27 April 2022
Questions (103)
Written answers
The National Council for Special Education Visiting Teachers, are qualified teachers with particular skills and knowledge of the development and education of children with varying degrees of hearing loss and/or visual impairment. They offer longitudinal support to children, their families and schools, from the time of referral through to the end of post primary education
The management of visiting teachers transferred from the Department of Education to the National Council for Special Education. The Department of Education provides the funding for visiting teachers for children who are deaf/hard of hearing or blind/visually impaired.
Each visiting teacher is responsible for a particular region and is allocated a caseload of students. The visiting teacher supports children/young people, parents, guardians, teachers and other professionals involved with the child. The frequency and nature of support takes into account a range of factors based on the individual’s needs.
The NCSE Visiting Teachers are currently comprised of some who are permanent employees of the NCSE, and some who are teachers seconded to the NCSE from schools. Secondments are limited to a period of 5 years, except where a derogation is granted by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
Where Visiting Teachers have reached secondment limits, the NCSE will replace them with staff who are suitably qualified and experienced to provide the same service levels to children and their families. The Department works closely with the NCSE to maintain and enhance the role of the Visiting Teachers across all of their regions.