Denis Naughten
Ceist:50 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Science the additional resources he intends to provide for mainstream special needs education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21494/03]
Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.
The Deputy will be aware that up until October 1998, my Department's capacity to respond to individual children with special needs was limited. This changed with a Government decision in October 1998, whereby children assessed as having special educational needs in primary schools have an automatic entitlement to an appropriate response to their needs. Since this automatic entitlement to support was introduced, the number of resource teachers in the primary system has increased from approximately 100 to in excess of 2,300 and the number of special needs assistants has grown from approximately 300 to almost 5,500 full – and part-time posts.
The nature and level of the educational response is based on the professionally-assessed needs of each individual child. While my Department's policy is to ensure the maximum possible integration of pupils with special needs into ordinary mainstream schools, those who have been assessed as having special educational needs have access to a range of special support services. The services range from special schools dedicated to particular disability groups, through special classes and units attached to ordinary schools, to placement on an integrated basis in ordinary schools, with special backup supports. The response will normally take the form of resource teacher or special needs assistant support, or both, depending on the level of need involved.
In some cases, the level of special need involved may be such as to require placement in a special class attached to a mainstream school. The number of special classes has grown from 350 to more than 500 since 1998. Each such class is dedicated to a particular disability category and operates at a significantly reduced pupil teacher ratio. Pupils attending these special classes also attract special increased rates of capitation funding. It is only in exceptional cases that my Department considers an educational placement outside the country as being necessary. In general, where children have significant care needs, these are met in an education context through the special needs assistant service.
In addition to developing the range of available services, I am taking steps to ensure that service delivery is optimised. A key development in this regard has been the decision to establish the National Council for Special Education. The council, which will have a local area presence, will play a key role in the development and delivery of services for persons with special needs. It will also have a research and advisory role and will establish expert groups to address particular areas of special needs provision. It will also establish a consultative forum to facilitate inputs from the education partners and other interested parties.
The council has now been established, a chief executive has been appointed and arrangements for the recruitment of staff are in hand. A further step will involve the development of a weighted system of allocations for special needs teaching resources with effect from the 2004-05 school year. This would involve an annual allocation being made to schools based on predicted incidence of special educational needs within different size school populations. Such a system would obviate the need for individual applications for resources in respect of individual pupils other than in the most exceptional circumstances. As a necessary first step, my Department will be engaging in discussions with the education partners in this regard.
On the legislative front, on 16 July last, I published the Education for Persons with Disabilities Bill 2003, to clarify the rights and entitlements of persons with disabilities to an education service and to put in place the necessary framework to deliver the required services. My objective would be to secure the passage of this legislation through the Oireachtas as soon as possible. I am confident that the measures which I have outlined will ensure that all children with special needs receive the support they require to enable them to benefit significantly from the education system.