It is the policy of my Department that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network.
Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a range of appropriate educational interventions, delivered by fully qualified professional teachers, with the support of Special Needs Assistants and the appropriate school curriculum.
Approx. 18,000 students in schools have been diagnosed with autism. The Department of Education and Skills invests over €300m annually in providing additional resources specifically to support students with autism in schools enabling:
- 61% of students to attend mainstream schools
- 26% to attend special classes in mainstream primary and post-primary schools, and
- 13% to attend special schools.
Some students, although academically able to access the curriculum in mainstream schooling, may find it too difficult to manage full-time placement there. This can be due to significant difficulties in areas such as behaviour or sensory needs which have not been ameliorated, even with appropriate intervention, in mainstream. Enrolment in an ASD special class can be considered for these students where it has been demonstrated that he/she is unable to learn effectively in a mainstream class for most or all of the school day even with appropriate supports.
Others students with ASD may have such complex needs that they are best placed in a special school.
The NCSE, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), in consultation with the relevant education partners, is responsible for the establishment of special school placements in various geographical areas where there is an identified need.
Students enrolling in ASD Special Classes must have a report from a relevant professional or team of professionals (for example, psychologist, speech and language therapist, psychiatrist) stating that:
- S/he has ASD, and that
- S/he has significant learning needs that require the support of a special class setting and the reasons why this is the case.
Special classes for students with ASD are staffed with a lower pupil–teacher ratio of 6:1 at primary level and 6:1.5 at post primary level. Special Classes or students with Autism also have Special Needs Assistant support normally amounting to 2 SNAs for a class of 6 children.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), in consultation with the relevant education partners, is responsible for the establishment of special classes.
The NCSE, in looking to open special classes, must take into account the present and future potential need for such classes, taking particular account of the educational needs of the children concerned. The NCSE will also take account of location and sustainability in looking to establish special classes in certain areas.
Since 2011 the NCSE has increased the number of special classes by over 100% from 548 in 2011 to 1,152 across the country now, of which 887 are Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) special classes.
The NCSE will establish an additional 145 ASD Special Classes for the 2017/18 school year, increasing the number of ASD Special Classes to 1,032.
With regard to Kildare in particular there are 942 students with ASD attending schools in the County. Of these, 520 students attend mainstream schools and are accessing in-school supports including Resource teaching and SNA support. 322 students are attending 59 ASD special classes, including 6 early intervention classes, 41 primary ASD classes and 12 post primary ASD classes. A further 100 students with ASD are placed in 4 special schools. The number of ASD classes has increased in the area by 24% since the 2013/14 school year.
The NCSE intends to open an additional 4 special classes in Kildare for the 2017/18 school year, consisting of 1 Primary ASD special class, 2 Post-Primary ASD special classes and 1 Post-Primary Moderate GLD special class.
The NCSE has informed my Department that, in general, they are satisfied that there will be sufficient special class placements available to meet demand in Kildare for the forthcoming school year.
My Department continues to work with the NCSE to ensure that there is appropriate planning in place to ensure that all children who require special class placements can access such placements in schools within their communities.
During the passage of the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill in the Select Committee recently, I indicated that I intend, at Report Stage, to include in this Bill a provision that will provide, based on reports and advice from the NCSE, the Minister will have the power to require a school to open a special class or increase the number of special classes in schools identified by the NCSE. Because this power will require a school to provide land or alter existing property I am of the view that the power should be with the Minister who can engage the patron or trustees and that there should be adequate safeguards to ensure people’s rights are protected.
