Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 October 2017
131. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to build a primary school for children with autism in the Dublin 15 area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42878/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis Government is committed to ensuring that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with autism, 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.
Almost 18,000 students in schools have been diagnosed with autism. My Department invests over €300 million 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, 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 they are 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.
There are 37 Special Schools in Dublin city and county. Special Schools funded by my Department are intended to cater for children and young persons with special educational needs from four years old until the end of the school year in which they reach their 18th year.
Special Schools are staffed in accordance with arrangements set out in my Department's Circular 0042/2011, which provides for enhanced pupil-teacher ratios for pupils attending Special Schools, ranging from 6-1 to 12-1 on the basis of disability categorisation of pupils attending the school.
Many special schools now enrol students from disability categories other than from those provided for by their school designations.
Since 2012, the NCSE has increased the number of special classes by over 100%, from 628 in 2012 to 1,300 across the country now, of which 1,042 are Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD, special classes. Of these, there are 177 classes in Dublin city and county, including 18 Early Intervention Classes for children who are not yet school going age, 123 primary school classes and 36 at post-primary level in mainstream schools. Some 17 primary and three post-primary ASD classes are in the area referred to by the Deputy.
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 and class placements in various geographical areas where there is an identified need.
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.
Parents/guardians of children with special needs who may need advice or are experiencing difficulties in locating a school placement should contact their local Special Educational Needs Organiser, SENO, as soon as possible for information on available places. The local SENO contact details are available on: www.ncse.ie.
In the case of all new schools, it is general practice to include a Special Needs Unit, SNU, in the accommodation brief for new school buildings, unless local circumstances indicate that it will not be required. Typically, a two-classroom SNU is provided in new primary schools and a two- or four-classroom unit is provided in new post-primary schools.
In the case of existing schools, where a school is not in a position to accommodate a special class within its existing accommodation, it is open to the school to submit an application to the Department for capital funding to (i) re-configure existing spaces within the school building to accommodate the class or (ii) to construct additional accommodation.
My Department continues to work with the NCSE to ensure that any required additional special school placements will be available for the forthcoming school years.
