Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 February 2017
315. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address the severe shortage of school places within specific speech and language units in primary schools in County Cork (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10069/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe policy of my Department is that children with special educational needs should be included, where possible and appropriate, in mainstream school placements with additional supports provided. In circumstances where children with special educational needs require more specialised interventions, special school or special class places are also available.
My Department provides an extensive range of supports for pupils with Specific Speech and Language Disorder (SSLD) including provision for the establishment of special classes for Specific Speech and Language Disorder in primary schools. A full-time teacher is assigned to each class, and classes operate with a reduced pupil-teacher ratio of 7:1. Speech and Language Therapy services are provided to these classes by the Health Service Executive (HSE). A minimum number of five eligible pupils is required for a school to retain a SSLD class. Eligible pupils may spend up to two years in such classes. The criteria for enrolment in a Special Class for pupils with SSLD is set out in my Department's Circular 0038/2007.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which is an independent statutory agency, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas where a need has been identified. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. Applications meeting the criteria are approved by the NCSE.
The NCSE continues to monitor and review the requirement for special class places in particular areas and has capacity to establish such new special classes where necessary, subject to the willingness of schools to open classes. The NCSE welcomes expressions of interest from schools in opening special classes to meet the demand for special class provision. In deciding on the location of a special class SENOs take into account both the present and the future potential need for special class provision and they must be satisfied that the special class is sustainable and appropriately located. SENOs liaise with relevant professionals in their area to arrive at an informed decision. The establishment of a Specific Speech and Language Unit class, however, is contingent on the HSE providing Speech and Language Therapy support for the students in the class.
The NCSE is in the process of determining where any additional special class provision for the 2017/18 school year will be required and SENOs hope to have initial information on where those classes will be required throughout the country shortly. If a school has a commitment from the HSE to provide Speech and Language Therapy for the students in a class, the Principal should contact the SENO for consideration in regard to the need for a SSLI class in the area, the suitability of the school as a location for a special class and sustainability of the class.
It should be noted that pupils who are not enrolled in a special class for SSLD and who meet the criteria for Specific Speech and Language Disorder, as outlined in Circular 0038/2007, may qualify for additional teaching support, where they are enrolled in mainstream school, from within the school's allocation of special teaching support.
On 18 January last, I announced that a new model for allocating Special Education Teaching Resources to mainstream primary and post primary schools will be introduced from September 2017.
The aim of this new model is to deliver better outcomes for children with special educational needs. Large amounts of research, analysis, consultation with service users and stakeholders, and piloting have gone into the development of this model and all the evidence points to the fact that this new system will deliver better outcomes for children.
Under the new allocation model schools will be provided with total allocation which includes a baseline allocation for the school and an allocation based on the school profile.
The provision of a profiled allocation will give a fairer allocation for each school which recognises that all schools need an allocation for special needs support, but which provides a graduated allocation which takes into account the actual level of need and pupils in each school.
A new Circular will be issued to schools in the coming weeks which will provide details of how the scheme will operate while details of the allocations for each school will also be provided to schools.
