Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 6 Feb 2003

Vol. 560 No. 5

Written Answers. - Disadvantaged Status.

John Cregan

Ceist:

84 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Education and Science the facilities, grants or assistance available from his Department or any agency under his control which could be made available to parents who want to set up an after-school care facility or homework club; if the different grants for schools or areas regarded as disadvantaged or not disadvantaged can be outlined; if the policy of his Department in relation to co-operating and making school premises available to parents after school hours can be outlined; and if such facilities can be covered by school insurance. [3091/03]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

My Department provides funding for homework clubs on a case by case basis under existing programmes such as the school completion programme, SCP. This programme, which was introduced in 2002 builds on two earlier schemes, the eight to 15 early school leaver initiative and the stay in school retention initiative, and involves 288 primary schools and 112 post-primary schools in 82 clusters. The SCP aims to develop local strategies to ensure maximum participation levels in the education process. It entails targeting individual young people of school going age, both in and out of school, and arranging supports to address inequalities in education access, participation and outcomes. One of the main features of this initiative is the provision of in-school, after school, out of school and holiday time supports.

My Department has also provided funding for homework clubs in disadvantaged areas under the fund for the development of targeted responses to children at risk. This fund is over seen by Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, and its purpose is to develop preventative and supportive programmes that are targeted at children and young people who are at risk of educational disadvantage and social exclusion. In addition, many of the area partnership companies have provided homework clubs under their education measure.

My Department also operates a number of initiatives in disadvantaged areas that are aimed at tackling educational disadvantage. Resources allocated under these programmes are used for the provision of a range of holistic supports to enable pupils from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds to participate fully in school. These include: the home-school-community liaison scheme, which currently involves 309 primary schools and 211 post-primary schools, is a preventative strategy which promotes active co-operation between home, school and relevant community agencies in promoting the educational interests of the children and raises the awareness among parents of their own capacities to enhance their children's educational progress and to assist them in developing relevant skills; and the primary level giving children an even break programme, launched in January 2001, running for a three year period and subsuming the previous process of designation of schools that serve areas of educational disadvantage. The schools targeted were identified through an independent survey of all primary schools carried out by the Educational Research Centre, Drumcondra, on the Department's behalf. The programme involves the creation of more than 200 teaching posts and the allocation of grants to more than 2,300 primary schools in respect of disadvantaged pupils; and the early start pre-school programme for children aged three to four years, who are most at risk in areas of social disadvantage, is provided so that young children will experience an educational programme that will enhance their overall development and prevent school failure. There are 40 centres – 16 full units and 24 half units – 56 teachers and 56 child care assistants. Each early start pre-school class attracts special capitation funding, a qualified teacher and a child care assistant, a start up grant for materials-equipment and a grant to foster parental involvement; the learning support teacher service provides assistance for children experiencing learning difficulties, particularly in the core area of literacy. In September 1999 the learning support teacher service was extended to every first and second level school in the country. The number of learning support teachers in the primary system has grown from 1,242 in September 1997 to 1,485 in 2001. At second level, there are now 560 learning support teachers. Learning support guidelines have been issued to schools and a programme of in-service training began in November 2001. The use of school facilities outside of school hours is a matter for the board of management of the individual school concerned.