Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 December 2018
100. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills if access for all pupils with SEN to the National Educational Psychological Service will be achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52355/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can inform the Deputy that my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries arising, and access to individual pupil casework via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments. (SCPA).
NEPS in common with many other psychological services and best international practice, has adopted a consultative model of service. The focus is on empowering teachers to intervene effectively with pupils whose needs range from mild to severe and transient to enduring. Psychologists use a problem solving and solution oriented consultative approach to maximise positive outcomes for these pupils. NEPS encourages schools to use a continuum based assessment and intervention process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and remedial intervention for pupils with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties. Teachers may consult their NEPS psychologist should they need to at this stage in the process. Only in the event of a failure to make reasonable progress, in spite of the school's best efforts in consultation with NEPS, will the psychologist become involved with an individual child for intensive intervention or assessment.
This system allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent cases and also to help many more children indirectly than could be seen individually. It also ensures that children are not referred unnecessarily for psychological intervention.
This Government and my Department remains committed to maintaining a robust NEPS service and under Budget 2017 the approved number of NEPS psychologist posts was increased (from Sept 2017) from 173 to 184 whole-time equivalents (w.t.e.). Budget 2018 further increased NEPS numbers with 10 new posts being sanctioned from September 2018 bring total approved numbers to 194 w.t.e.
I can inform the Deputy that my Department and the Public Appointments Service (PAS), following the completion in the early autumn of a national recruitment competition and formation of regional recruitment panels , are actively pursuing pursuing recruitment up to this approved level.
Furthermore 10 new NEPS psychologists posts have been sanctioned for September 2019.
