Patrick O'Donovan
Ceist:175. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if tuition is available for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5330/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 6 February 2018
Ceisteanna (175)
Freagraí scríofa
My Department's Home Tuition Grant Scheme provides funding towards a compensatory educational service for
(a) Early educational intervention for children with a diagnosis of autism who meet the scheme's eligibility criteria;
(b) Students with special educational needs seeking an educational placement in a recognised school; and
(c) Students, enrolled in schools, with a significant medical condition which has caused, and is likely to continue to cause, major disruption to their attendance at school.
Circular 0050/2017, which outlines the scheme's eligibility criteria, is available on my Department's website www.education.ie
I understand, from the information supplied by the Deputy, that the child referred to is under the age of 4 and therefore not eligible to enrol in school. The child does not have an ASD diagnosis. As such, the child will not meet the eligibility criteria under my Department's Home Tuition Grant Scheme.
The Deputy should be aware that the Department of Children and Youth Affairs provides supports for childcare, including pre-school education.
The principal vehicle for the delivery of pre-school education is the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme which provides for early learning in a formal setting to children before they commence primary school.
Children with disabilities have access to pre-school services under the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) programme of supports.
AIM is a child-centred model, involving seven levels of progressive support, moving from the universal to the targeted, depending on the needs of the child and the pre-school.
Details of the supports which are available under AIM can be found at www.preschoolaccess.ie which contains comprehensive information on the access and inclusion model and on how to apply for the new schemes and supports. For children attending a private pre-school through the ECCE programme, questions relating to the AIM supports should be addressed to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.