Every effort is made to ensure that children with special educational needs receive an education appropriate to their needs. Decisions regarding the most appropriate model of response in each particular case are based on the professionally assessed needs of the individual child. Current provision for pupils with autism includes 146 special classes for children with autism attached to special schools and mainstream schools; 14 pre-school classes for children with autism; ten autism facilities, some of which are providing an applied behavioural analysis model of response to children with autism and five special classes for children with Asperger's syndrome have been created. All such classes operate at a pupil teacher ratio of 6:1 with the support of a minimum of two special needs assistants.
The level of resource teaching support provided for pupils with autism attending mainstream primary schools is based on the professionally assessed needs of the individual child. In general, such pupils would be eligible for five hours resource teaching support. In addition, my Department sanctions home tuition grants for children with autism for whom a home-based applied behavioural analysis programme is considered appropriate or in cases where such children are awaiting an appropriate school placement.
The Deputy will be aware that with effect from 1 January 2005 the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has taken over responsibility for processing resource applications for children with disabilities who have special educational needs and, in particular, it is responsible for deciding on applications for resource teaching hours in respect of children with low incidence disabilities with special educational needs at primary level; deciding on applications for additional teaching support in respect of children with disabilities with special educational needs at second level; deciding on applications for special needs assistant hours.
Under the new arrangements, the council, through the local special educational needs organiser, SENO, will process the relevant application for resources and inform the school of the outcome. In the case of decisions on resource teaching and SNAs, the SENO will outline the process to the school and parents, where appropriate, and will at the end of the process outline the basis on which the decision was made.
The advent of the NCSE will prove of major benefit in ensuring that all children with special educational needs, including those in the area referred to by the Deputy, receive the support they require, when and where they require it. My Department is continuing to prioritise the development of the network of special educational provision for children with special needs, including those with autism, and the steps taken in recent years and those currently in hand represent significant progress in the development of those services.