Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022
941. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education if the appropriate supports required by a child (details supplied) will be provided immediately in accordance with the application made on their behalf; the supports, if any, that have already been approved for them; if funding has also been allocated; and if she will expedite a positive response. [43580/22]
View answerThe education of children with special educational needs is a key priority for this Government.
This funding provides for a range of teaching and other supports for students with special needs including Hearing Impairment.
The Department, either directly or through the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), provides for a range of supports in schools to enable them to educate children with Hearing Impairment including additional teaching support, specialist equipment and access to Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support, depending on the child's level of assessed needs.
The Department of Education's policy is that children with special educational needs should attend a mainstream class where possible and with additional supports where required
The Department provides for a range of placement options for students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, where s/he will have access to an education appropriate to their level of need
Many Deaf or Hard of Hearing students attend mainstream classes at primary and post-primary level whilst other children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and have more complex needs may attend special classes, which have lower student teacher ratios.
Special class students have opportunities, where appropriate, to integrate and interact with mainstream peers.
In line with advice from supporting professionals, other children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing may avail of a placement in one of the two schools for the Deaf. These schools have reduced class sizes and provide specialist supports in line with the children’s needs.
There are extensive education supports in place to support children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing. These include
- the provision of funding to provide ISL tuition for children and their families
- additional teaching and care supports in school in line with need
- assistive technology to enable students access and engage the school curriculum
- supports provided by the National Council for Special Education which include the Visiting Teachers for students who are Deaf / Hard of Hearing (VTDHH) who work with students and their families and their schools
- professional development for teachers
The NCSE can also give approval to a school to appoint a communication worker who is required to have an appropriate level of proficiency in ISL. This person will support students whose main language is ISL to assess the curriculum and participate in school life.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) Support Service includes Visiting Teachers, who 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
Each visiting teacher (VT) is responsible for a particular region and is allocated a caseload of students. The VT supports children/young people, parents, guardians, teachers and other professionals involved with the child
The visiting teachers offer guidance in matters pertaining to the child’s education and overall development and in helping the children to derive maximum benefit from the educational opportunities available
Earlier this year Minister Foley and Minister Madigan announced details of an enhanced scheme for the provision of Irish Sign Language (ISL) in-school support for students who are deaf and whose primary means of communication is ISL.
The new scheme will involve two key strands of support:
- Programme of intensive in-school support for individual students to enable them access teaching and learning and participate in school life
- Programme of training and support to build capacity among the school community including teachers, special needs assistants, other school staff and pupils on communication using Irish Sign Language
The new scheme is targeted at children and young people attending primary, special and post-primary school who meet the following criteria:
- were born without an auditory nerve or due to infection, disease, trauma, failed technology intervention (for example cochlear implants), their auditory nerve has ceased to function completely and whose primary means of communication is using Irish Sign Language
Under the scheme, a package of dedicated specialist ISL supports will be allocated to relevant schools so these students have a more inclusive school experience.
The operational details of the new scheme are currently being finalised and these details will be announced in the coming weeks.
The school has been advised by the NCSE of the approval to recruit an additional SNA with ISL skills in this case.
The NCSE has advised that they are in ongoing contact with school and the family in relation to the matter.
