Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 November 2023
494. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if her Department is considering extending the benefits achieved under the North-East Inner City Programme to other areas facing similar challenges. [47898/23]
View answerIn July 2016, the Government launched a major initiative for Dublin’s North East Inner City (NEIC) to oversee the long term, social and economic regeneration of the area. The Mulvey Report entitled “Dublin’s North East Inner City – Creating a Brighter Future” was published in February 2017 and made a number of recommendations. As part of this response, in November 2018, City Connects pilot programme, the NEIC Multi-Disciplinary Team, and the P-TECH pilot programme were launched within schools in the NEIC.
The NEIC City Connects Pilot Project commenced in 10 NEIC primary schools in October 2020. The pilot is led by my Department and Tusla Education Support Service, in conjunction with Mary Immaculate College and Boston College. City Connects is a system originally developed by Boston College that organises student support and leverages existing school and community-based resources in order to improve students’ academic and social-emotional outcomes.
The North East Inner City Multi-Disciplinary Team (NEIC MDT) comprises of Educational Psychologists from the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) of my Department, Health Service Executive (HSE) Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and a Psychologist. This project is an interagency collaboration between the HSE and my Department which provides a multidisciplinary team to ten NEIC primary schools. The NEIC MDT provide school staff, children and families access to on-site Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Psychology; it also offers psychology support to families through the HSE Psychologist on the team. The MDT provide a wraparound service including preventative work, early intervention, assessment and therapeutic intervention, to support all children, school staff and families. The MDT teams provide a needs-based school service that responds to the presenting issues for each child, their family and school.
P-TECH is now in operation across five NEIC post-primary schools, with multiple partners supporting the programme. It is an education initiative that combines post primary school with elements of further education and workplace experience. It requires a three-way partnership between school, higher/further education institution(s) and industry partners. It includes a structured workplace learning strand with mentoring, worksite visits, speakers, and project days. Whilst the acquisition of relevant IT skills in key areas are included in the course work, the model also seeks to encourage and develop students’ problem solving and creativity and places emphasis on teamwork, collaboration and communication skills. Students involved in the programme work towards the achievement of a “Special Purpose Award”, equivalent to 10 credits at QQI Level 6.
My Department is committed to supporting a quality and inclusive school system that provides an equal opportunity at success for all children, including those at risk of educational disadvantage. In line with the Programme for Government, the Government is continuing to examine how the model of intervention in the north-east inner city (NEIC) could be extended to other comparative areas experiencing disadvantage.
