The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill vacancies in an individual school is a matter for the Board of Management of the school concerned. It is the policy of my Department that unqualified personnel should only be employed in exceptional circumstances and when all avenues for recruiting qualified personnel have been exhausted. Unqualified personnel should therefore only be employed for short periods pending the recruitment of a fully qualified teacher. I have indicated my intention to commence Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act in the near future. I have also indicated that the commencement of the section will also provide for it to be regulated that a school may employ unregistered personnel on a time limited basis in extreme circumstances.
My Department has put in place a training programme for teachers in autism-specific interventions including TEACCH, PECS and ABA through the Special Education Support Service (SESS). The SESS facilitates a partnership approach involving support teams of practising teachers, Education Centres, the Inspectorate, the National Educational Psychological Service, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the National Council for Special Education, Third Level Colleges, Health Board Personnel, Teacher Unions and other relevant bodies and services.
Parents of children with autism now have three distinct choices available to them depending on the needs of the child; their child can either attend a mainstream class in their local school with additional supports as required, they can attend a special class in a mainstream school or they can attend a special school. While some children with autism can thrive in a mainstream class, special classes in both mainstream and special schools have been specifically designed to meet the needs of those who require more intensive support.
My Department's Inspectorate carried out an Evaluation of Educational Provision for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) which was published in 2006. The report looked at the education that is provided for children with autism in a variety of settings nationwide, including mainstream classes supporting children with autism.
I am satisfied with the current policy of providing schools who have special classes for children with autism with qualified teachers, low pupil teacher ratios, a minimum of 2 special needs assistants per class, access to professional development as well as training courses in autism specific interventions, enhanced capitation and grants for specialist equipment and furniture, if required, together with special school transport arrangements.