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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 10 Apr 2003

Vol. 565 No. 2

Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

212 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Education and Science the need for an individual education plan for any child assessed as having special needs; and the importance of involving parents in drawing up the individual education plan. [10458/03]

The Education Act 1998 obliges schools to identify and provide for the edu cational needs of all students, including those with a disability or other special educational needs. This involves the identification of those students who will need additional support if they are to benefit from the curriculum. This should take place within the context of the school's overall plan for assessment, planning and record keeping.

Any child or young person who has difficulty in accessing the curriculum needs an individual education plan, IEP, also sometimes referred to as an individual profile and learning programme, IPLP. IEPs range in complexity from short-term strategies aimed at overcoming transient difficulties to detailed plans encompassing all areas of the curriculum. In general, IEPs focus on the extra programmes, methodologies and resources that some students need in addition to their entitlement to the general curriculum.

IEPs should be developed collaboratively by all the adults who are involved on a regular basis with the student who is the subject of the plan. International research on the effectiveness of IEPs has consistently emphasised the value of the support of, and contributions by, parents. This process of bringing together all those who know and care about a student is as valuable as the IEP itself. My Department has consistently recommended this process and continues to support it in published guidelines and through programmes of continuing professional development.

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

213 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the need of smaller classes for children with special needs, for example, ADHD, as it can enhance their ability to learn and investing in children at an early age at crucial stages of their development can prevent under-achievement and early school leaving in these children. [10459/03]

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

214 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Education and Science if he accepts that pre-service and ongoing professional development of teachers should be made compulsory, particularly in the area of ADHD so that teachers are aware of the condition and have knowledge of how to interact with these children in the classroom. [10460/03]

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

215 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the need to provide education mediators within his Department who would be responsible for liaising with parents of children with ADHD or EBH, emotional, behavioural difficulties, in times of difficulty such as pre-suspension and suspension, in order to prevent the situation getting to the expulsion stage, where the education welfare officer would then be involved. [10461/03]

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

217 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Education and Science his views on the need to have early and ongoing educational assessments of children with ADHD and all children with a disability in order that their needs are met. [10463/03]

Joe Higgins

Ceist:

219 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science the steps his Department is taking to provide appropriate support services for sufferers of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder within the education system; and the likely timescale of putting these support services in place. [10482/03]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 to 215, inclusive, and 217 and 219 together.

It is the policy of my Department that all teachers working with children with special educational needs, including children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, will have relevant training. In recent years, there has been a major increase in the level of additional teaching resources made available to schools to cater for children with special educational needs, including children with ADHD. These additional staffing appointments bring with them the need for additional training in all aspects of special educational provision and this is being addressed on an ongoing basis.

Through the colleges of education, my Department funds a range of postgraduate and induction programmes which are designed to provide the additional knowledge and skills that teachers may require in catering for the children in question. Local courses are also provided through the education centres network and these include courses specifically on ADHD. In addition, my Department recently provided funding for 135 teachers who participated in an e-learning summer course on ADHD. This innovative course was made available throughout the months of July and August 2002.

The existing full-time programmes of pre-service teacher training, primary, in the colleges of education contain appropriate elements to assist the student teachers in recognising and dealing with children with special needs. Students undertaking the bachelor of education degree or the graduate diploma in education, primary teaching, in St. Patrick's and Mary Immaculate Colleges of Education now follow a course module on special education. This module covers the broad range of issues in special education.

In the Church of Ireland and Coláiste Mhuire, Marino, colleges of education, particular attention is paid to special needs and learning difficulties arising from various factors under "method studies" in english and mathematics. In the case of the Froebel College of Education, students have a course module under "remedial work". This deals with learning difficulties arising from special needs.

I would like to clarify the position regarding educational assessments for the Deputy. The general aim of the National Educational Psychological Service Agency, NEPS, is to assist all students to develop to their potential and to maximise the benefits of their educational experiences, with particular regard to those having special educational needs. At present, practically all post-primary schools and approximately 1,950 national schools are served by the NEPS.
In those schools served by the NEPS, the educational psychologists take referrals of children suspected of having ADHD. They work in collaboration with teachers and parents and use agreed diagnostic criteria in order to identify children with these conditions. In most cases, they refer such children on to clinical services for further advice, as it is usually necessary for full diagnosis and support to be provided by a multi-disciplinary team. The educational psychologists continue to provide advice for the teachers of children with ADHD on educational programmes and behavioural management.
The special educational needs of children with ADHD can be addressed in special dedicated schools, in special dedicated classes attached to ordinary schools, or on an integrated basis in ordinary schools. Decisions regarding the most appropriate model of response in each particular case are based on the professionally assessed needs of the individual child. Many children with the conditions in question are capable of attending ordinary schools on an integrated basis with the support, where necessary, of the resource teacher and/or special needs assistant services. Where the level of the disorder is of a more serious nature, provision is made by way of special schools or special classes attached to ordinary schools. All such facilities operate at a maximum pupil teacher ratio of 8:1 and special needs assistant support is provided where required. It is my intention to continue to build on these developments so as to ensure that all children, including children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, receive the support they require.
My Department has no plans to provide specific education mediators who would be responsible for liaising with parents of children with ADHD and EBH in the situations mentioned by the Deputy. It would be expected that, where difficulties arise, the relevant professionals working with such a pupil would consult with the family and school in arriving at a satisfactory outcome.
I would like to advise the Deputy that the matter of suspension and discipline is generally considered in the context of the school code of discipline. Guidelines have issued to boards of management to assist them in discharging their obligations in this area. These guidelines were drawn up following consultation with representatives of management, teachers and parents, and are sufficiently flexible to allow each school authority to adapt them to suit the particular needs of the school. These guidelines lay considerable stress on the use of suspensions and expulsions only as a last resort.
Each board of management is responsible for formulating, in consultation with parents, a fair and efficient code of behaviour. This code should ensure that the individuality of each child is accommodated, while acknowledging the right of each child to education in a relatively disruption-free environment. This code should include provision for dealing with serious breaches of discipline and continuously disruptive pupils.
Under section 15(2)(d) of the Education Act 1998, a board of management of a school, with the agreement of the patron, shall publish and provide the policy of the school concerning expulsion of students, subject to the proviso that any such expulsion may be appealed to the secretary general of my Department under section 29(1)(a) of the aforementioned Act.
Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 provides for an appeal to the Secretary General of my Department where a board of management of a school or a person acting on behalf of the board refuses to enrol a student, suspends a student for a cumulative total of more than 20 days in an academic year, or expels a student from the school. An independent appeals mechanism is in place to deal with section 29 appeals. Under the Act, an appeal must be dealt with within 30 days, with a provision for a 14 day extension to this period, if required. As a matter of course, home tuition hours are sanctioned as an interim education provision while a section 29 appeal is proceeding. Where an appeal is upheld, the secretary general may give such directions to the board of management of a school as appear expedient for the purpose of remedying the matter.

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

216 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will accept the need to have prompt access to educational resources, that is, special assistants and resource teachers, as currently children allocated resources have to wait too long. [10462/03]

My Department introduced revised arrangements during the current school year for processing applications for resource teacher and special needs assistant support. Under the former system, there were no set application or allocation dates for this support. Given the significant expansion in the level of resources being allocated for special education purposes, the lack of set application and allocation dates posed significant administrative difficulties for my Department and the lack of clarity in this regard also posed concerns for schools.

Resource teaching and special needs assistant support is now allocated to schools on a term basis. I am satisfied that the new term-based approach is bringing greater certainty and efficiency to the allocation process. This has been generally welcomed by schools who now have a clearer indication of the timing of allocations and can plan accordingly.

Question No. 217 answered with Question No. 213.
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