Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 June 2018
171. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the detail of the new pilot scheme for in-school speech and language therapists; the number of schools involved; the demographic of the schools; the number of therapists employed under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27522/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI recently announced that a demonstration project to provide in-school and pre-school therapy services will be introduced for the 2018/19 school year.
The project will be managed and co-ordinated by the National Council for Special Education.
The model has been developed by the Departments of Education, Children and Youth Affairs, Health, and the Health Service Executive, and is part of the Government’s overall aim to help every child to fulfil their full potential.
The purpose of the project is to test a model of tailored therapeutic supports that allows for early intervention in terms of providing speech and language and occupational therapy within ‘educational settings’. This innovative pilot will complement existing HSE funded provision of essential therapy services.
76 schools, including a representative sample of primary, post primary, and special schools will take part in the project.
This will include:
- Schools with significant levels of educational disadvantage.
- A mixture of urban, large, and small schools.
- Schools with high levels of support needs as identified under the new special education teaching allocation model.
- Mainstream schools which have special classes
- Special schools with significant levels of therapy support needs.
Pre-school settings associated with primary schools participating in the project are being included in order to provide for therapy interventions to be made at the earliest possible time and to create linkages between pre-school and primary school provision. 75 pre-schools will also participate giving 151 settings.
The project is taking place in Community Healthcare Organisation 7 Region of South West Dublin, Kildare and West Wicklow and the schools selected will therefore be from this region.
As part of the programme, 19 speech and language therapists and 12 Occupational Therapists are being recruited by the HSE to work with the 151 schools and pre-schools. The NCSE will also recruit 2 National Co-ordinators to manage the project.
The project aims to develop a more cohesive, collaborative approach to delivering supports to children in our schools by allowing therapists and educational professionals to work together in schools.
