The 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.
The provision of special classes for pupils with Specific Speech and Language Disorder (SSLD) is one of an extensive range of supports provided by the Department. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including applications to establish special classes for SSLD. Applications meeting the criteria for establishment are approved by the NCSE. The opening of a Speech and Language class is, however, contingent on the Health Service Executive (HSE) being in a position to provide Speech and Language therapy to the students in the class.
The enrolment of pupils in an SSLD special classes is managed locally by an Admissions & Discharges Committee, comprising the Speech and Language Therapy Manager, Speech and Language Therapist, Class Teacher and Principal. The criteria for enrolment in a Special Class for pupils with SSLD is set out in my Department's Circular 0038/2007. A full-time teacher is assigned to each class, and classes operate with a reduced pupil-teacher ratio of 7:1. 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. An enhanced capitation grant is provided to schools operating special classes for pupils with SSLD. In general, children who meet the criteria for enrolment in Special Classes for pupils with SSLD are eligible for free transport to the SSLD class nearest to his or her place of residence, subject to the terms of the school transport scheme.
Pupils who are not enrolled in a special class for SSLD and who meet the criteria for SSLD, as outlined in my Department's Circular, may qualify for additional teaching support where he/she is enrolled in mainstream school. At present, pupils with mild speech and language difficulties may qualify for supplementary teaching support from within the school's general allocation of learning support/teaching support. It is a matter for individual schools to use their professional judgement to identify pupils who will receive this support and to use the resources available to the school to intervene at the appropriate level with such pupils.
A new model for allocating Teaching Resources to schools to support students with Special Educational Needs, as recommended by the NCSE, will be implemented with effect from September 2017. The revised allocation model replaces the generalised allocation process at primary and post primary school level for learning support and high incidence special educational needs, and the NCSE allocation process which provided additional resource teaching supports to schools, to support pupils assessed as having Low Incidence disabilities. Allocations of special education teaching resources issued for all schools in March 2017. My Department’s Circular 0013/2017 for primary schools, which was published on 7th March 2017, sets out the details of the new model for allocating special education teachers to schools. Guidelines for schools on the organisation, deployment and use of their special education teachers have also been published.
The new model will provide a greater level of autonomy for schools in how to manage and deploy additional teaching support within their school, based on the individual learning needs of pupils, as opposed to being based primarily on a diagnosis of disability.
The Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to introduce a new in-school Speech and Language Therapy service, creating stronger linkages between parents, teachers and Speech and Language Therapists. The programme also commits to bring the number of Speech and Language Therapists up to 1,102, a 25% increase. The Programme for a Partnership Government also contains a commitment to examine the adequacy of the present policies and provision, and their scope for improvement, particularly in relation to speech and language difficulties and early intervention.
As Speech and Language Therapists are currently employed by the Health Service Executive (HSE), officials at my Department are currently engaging with colleagues in the Department of Health and the HSE to develop a plan for the implementation of this commitment. The implementation plan will identify the actions to be taken and the specific timeframe for the delivery of this commitment.
