Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 December 2018
169. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools that have received pilot in-house speech and language and occupational therapy services; the number of pupils offered supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51033/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra170. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the matters managed by his Department and the HSE, respectively, with regard to pilot in-house speech and language and occupational therapy services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51034/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra171. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the work programme for the pilot in-house speech and language and occupational therapy services. [51035/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra172. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the process by which a child can apply to take part in pilot in-house speech and language and occupational therapy services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51036/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra173. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of the pilot in-house speech and language and occupational therapy services to date; the expected cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51037/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI proposed to takes Questions Nos. 169 to 173, inclusive, together.
A demonstration project to provide in-school and pre-school therapy services has been introduced for the 2018/19 school year.
The demonstration project is being developed by a Working Group which includes representatives from the Departments of Education, Children and Youth Affairs, Health, and the Health Service Executive (HSE).
The project will be managed and co-ordinated by the National Council for Special Education with clinical support also being provided by two HSE Therapy Managers which have been assigned to the project.
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.
The NCSE is developing a project information booklet which will set out how the project will operate and which will provide details of the framework by which speech and language and occupational therapy supports will be provided in schools. This information booklet will be finalised and published in the very near future.
The project is taking place in the Health Service Executive (HSE) Community Healthcare Organisation (CHO) 7 Region of South West Dublin, Kildare and West Wicklow.
This region has been selected to ensure that the pre-school and in-school therapy model can be tested in both urban and rural locations and with a suitable mix of various types of schools and pre-schools.
75 schools, including a representative sample of primary, post primary, and special schools will take part in the project.
An additional 75 early years settings associated with primary schools participating in the project are also being included. 150 early years or school settings will therefore be included in the pilot. The list of the participating schools and early years settings has been published on my Departments website.
As the model is based on working with teachers to provide whole school support for students language and communications skills, and to develop sensory friendly environment, it is expected that all pupils attending the pilot schools will benefit. There are approximately 23,000 pupils in the 75 schools and approximately 3,000 pupils in the 75 early years settings. The extent of support individual pupils will receive in schools will be decided by the therapists and teachers following a review of the needs of the school.
Only the schools and early years settings that are participating in the demonstration project will receive supports from this project at present. Children who are attending schools which are not in the pilot project will continue to receive speech and language therapy services from the HSE in the normal manner.
€2.25m is being allocated to Phase One of the project in 2018, however, the actual expenditure on the in-school therapy services project in 2018 will not be known until financial reporting has been completed at the end of 2018.
