Réada Cronin
Question:194. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education the measures that can be taken to accommodate a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26890/23]
View answerThursday, 1 June 2023
Questions (194)
Written answers
I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:
The Educational Welfare Service (EWS) is part of Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) and operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. The EWS deal with children and families who have difficulties in relation to school attendance, participation, retention. This is a statutory service and its primary role is to ensure that every child either attends school regularly or otherwise receives a certain minimum education; to ensure and secure every child’s entitlement to education.
TESS offers advice and assistance to parents seeking school placements for their children. However, if there is oversubscription for schools in a particular geographical area it may be necessary to make applications to schools in a neighbouring town/village.
An Educational Welfare Officer (EWO) may have knowledge of schools that may have capacity and will advise parents to make an application to that school. Parental choice has to be taken into account when seeking a school place for a child but a place in a school of first choice is not always possible. An EWO can designate a school place for a student if it can be proven that the school has capacity and have refused to admit the child in accordance with their admissions policy.
Where a child has special educational needs, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through their local network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) can assist parents looking to secure a school place for a child.
Over the last two to three years, my Department and the NCSE have introduced a number of strategic initiatives to plan for and provide sufficient special class and special school places.
These initiatives are bearing fruit with over 600 new special classes sanctioned at primary level, almost 300 new special classes sanctioned at post-primary level and five new special schools established over the last three years.
My Department is engaging intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class places, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level.
As a result of this forward planning, on the 12th of April, Minister Foley and I announced the establishment of 2 new special schools for the 2023/2024 school year, with further capacity being expanded in 11 other special schools.
Along with the two new special schools, 328 new special classes – 217 at primary and 111 at post-primary level – have been sanctioned by the NCSE for opening in the 2023/24 school year, with more to be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Of these new classes, 7 are in Co. Kildare, with 5 at primary level and 2 at post-primary level. These new classes will bring the total number of special classes in Kildare to 112, 84 at primary and 28 at post-primary.
My Department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements will be available for children for the coming school year 2023/2024.
Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally so that their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes.
The local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) remain available to assist and advise parents of children with special educational needs. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available at: ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list.
As you query relates to an individual case, I will arrange for it to be shared with both Tusla and the NCSE and for the appropriate body to provide a direct response on the matter.