Mary Wallace
Ceist:82 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Education the process she intends to adopt for designating schools for special assistance in respect of children with special needs. [13101/96]
Written Answers. - Designated Schools.
The White Paper on Education, Charting our Education Future, states that a number of ordinary primary schools will be designated as centres where students with particular disabilities may be educated. The concept of the designated school is part of a proposed continuum of provision aimed at ensuring that children with special needs will have access to a variety of placement options capable of meeting their evolving needs in their own areas. This provision will extend from placements in ordinary primary schools, with special back-up support if necessary, through placement in a designated school, to placement in a special facility dedicated to particular groups.
The designated schools will be selected on the basis of their capacity to make a positive contribution to meeting the special needs of children with disabilities in their area and having regard to suitability of location. In addition to offering specialised support for children with disabilities, the designated schools will provide out-reach support services to special needs children attending ordinary schools in their areas. Special additional resources will be made available to enable designated schools to undertaken these functions.
My Department is currently developing detailed proposals in relation to this matter in advance of consulting with the relevant partners in education.