Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 July 2022
687. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a specialist speech and language therapist will be provided to a child with a diagnosis of ASD (details supplied) in the pre-school setting in order to assist with this child’s educational development; the further measures that will be taken to support their child through their early years in education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37800/22]
View answerThe Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is a model of supports designed to ensure that children with disabilities can access the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme. Its goal is to empower pre-school providers to deliver an inclusive pre-school experience, ensuring that every eligible child can meaningfully participate in the ECCE Programme and reap the benefits of high quality early learning and care. Eligibility for AIM supports is linked to participation in the universal ECCE pre-school programme.
AIM supports are grouped into universal or targeted. Universal supports are designed to create a more inclusive culture in early learning and care settings, through training courses and qualifications for staff. Where universal supports are not enough to meet the needs of an individual child, targeted supports are available to ensure the child can meaningfully participate in pre-school.
AIM Early Years Specialists are available to work with parents and pre-school providers to develop an inclusive learning environment for children. Applying for AIM educational advice and mentoring is very simple. Parents are advised to speak with their pre-school provider who will make an application for targeted supports in collaboration with the parent. The pre-school will submit this application to Better Start through the Early Years Hive portal on the parent’s behalf.
AIM level 6 provides a range of services in collaboration with the HSE under therapeutic supports. Targeted services are individualised and could include; behaviour support plans, classes, equipment, professional advice or pre-school visits. Supports may be provided through a Children’s Disability Network Team (CDNT), HSE Disability Service, HSE funded Voluntary Organisation or HSE Primary Care Services.
The HSE offer speech and language therapy services, in the public health service, free of charge for children with a disability. Speech and language therapists (SLTs) will show parents ways to support their child’s communication or feeding skills. They assess the child’s needs, set short and long-term goals and link with other relevant services. For information on services in your area you can contact your Local Health Office. See list of Local Health Offices at the link below.
www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/lho/.
If a parent in partnership with the provider, submit an application for AIM support and in that application have stated that the child is already receiving supports from speech and language, the Early Years Specialist would link in with the relevant health professional. They would do this to identify what strategies/supports can be implemented in the pre-school setting by the educators.
AIM Level 7 support provides additional funding to pre-schools who have a child requiring extra support. Providers can use this funding either to reduce the adult-to-child ration in the pre-school room or to fund an extra staff member as a shared resource with other children in the ECCE setting. This is all centred on supporting the pre-school leader to ensure the child’s optimal participation.
One of the commitments in First 5 was to undertake an end of Three-Year Evaluation of AIM. The evaluation is now complete and the final report is due to be published in Quarter 3 of this year. Subject to evaluation findings and other relevant developments, we will be considering enhancements to, and/or extension of, AIM to, for example, all ELC services, all school-age childcare services and to children with additional needs other than a disability. This will include consideration of issues raised with regard to children with ASD and potential measures to enhance provision.
The Department of Education also provides specialist pre-school services including autism-specific pre-school services for children who are ECCE eligible, which include:
- Early Intervention Classes attached to primary schools for autistic children aged three and over.
- A Home Tuition Scheme which provides funding towards 10 hours per week tuition for children under 3 years of age and 20 hours per week for children over 3 years of age who cannot secure a placement in an early intervention class. Subject to conditions, parents are free to use the grant to engage tutors to deliver tuition in their home or pre-school providers to deliver tuition in a group/pre-school setting. Such arrangements are essentially between the parents and the relevant provider.
More information is available at: www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-education/.
