Special Educational Needs Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 January 2019

Tuesday, 22 January 2019

Ceisteanna (28)

Kathleen Funchion

Ceist:

28. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration will be given to working with the Teaching Council to propose a specific special education teacher category to register with the council in view of the increasing number of autism spectrum disorder, ASD, units being established in primary schools nationally and the increase in the number of children being diagnosed with autism nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2765/19]

Freagraí ó Béal (6 píosaí cainte)

Deputy Kathleen Funchion

Given the increasing number of autism spectrum disorder, ASD, units being established in primary schools throughout the State and the increase in the numbers of children being diagnosed with autism nationally, would the Minister consider working with the Teaching Council to propose a specific special education teacher category for registration with the Teaching Council? This comes from many special needs assistants in the sector who wish to qualify as special education teachers.

Deputy Joe McHugh

I thank the Deputy for the question. The Teaching Council is the body with statutory responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession, including the registration of teachers in Ireland. The Teaching Council (Registration) Regulations 2016 set out the requirements to be registered as a teacher in Ireland. Under these regulations there are four defined routes to registration, namely primary, post-primary, further education and other routes. My Department has no plans to amend the Teaching Council (Registration) Regulations 2016 to include a special education teacher category.

Under section 38 of the Teaching Council Act, all initial teacher education programmes in Ireland that lead to registration must have professional accreditation from the Teaching Council in accordance with the criteria and guidelines for programme providers published in June 2011 and revised in March 2017. Under the council’s criteria for initial teacher education, student teachers in all accredited programmes are required to undertake study in inclusive education, including special education. Schools should endeavour to assign experienced teachers to special classes with appropriate qualifications and, wherever possible, a background in working with students with special educational needs. Schools should also be proactive in meeting the continuing professional development needs of their special class teachers, in addition to developing and reviewing their whole school polices in the education and inclusion of students with special educational needs. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, support service delivers a range of professional development initiatives and support for teachers working with students with special educational needs in special classes. Schools planning to open special class provision should contact the NCSE support service as soon as they receive their letter of sanction in order to facilitate planning for training of teachers.

Deputy Kathleen Funchion

I thank the Minister. It is disappointing that the Minister has specifically ruled out even considering this as an option. We all know there has been a massive increase in the number of children with additional needs and autism in particular. We know the difficulties they face and I certainly raise it regularly, as the Minister is aware at this stage. There is a constant effort by parents to get these children into ASD units.

A specific special education teacher category would help to address such issues, including the hiring of appropriate staff. It would also help the Department. If a special needs assistant, SNA, wishes to become a special education teacher, there are currently only two options open to that person. He or she can enrol on the level 8 degree with St. Nicholas Montessori College, which is bizarre, or the Hibernia College master's programme. This must be looked at, along with the general way the Teaching Council approaches everything, including the length of time it takes for student teachers to get a number. That can take up to six months. The council's approach, unfortunately, does not seem to be one of encouragement or assistance when SNAs seek advice on how to progress and become a special education teacher. It is why I am raising the matter.

Deputy Joe McHugh

This is an area in which I have a massive interest as well. The investment this year alone in the special educational needs area will be approximately €1.75 billion, which is a 44% increase since 2011. Special classes numbers have gone from just under 500 to approximately 1,500 and we still have a long way to go. I know from parliamentary questions and letters that there is a massive pressure for additional ASD units, and I am very conscious of the fact we need to do more. I am also very conscious that there is a cohort of people in the SNA sector, as referenced by the Deputy, and 16,000 SNAs will work in the system this year. They are waiting on the implementation of recommendations from the recent SNA review. I met with the Ulster-Connacht division two weekends ago and I committed to trying to complete that as soon as possible. I will deal with that personally.

With regard to training, my confidence lies in the social inclusion and special needs aspect of teacher training. I am also conscious that SNAs have very much been part of the wonderful journey taken so far that has led to a success story. I know they have more to give and that is why we must consider the recommendations for continuous professional development for them.

Deputy Kathleen Funchion

In fairness, I know the Minister has an interest in the area and it is part of the reason I have raised the matter with him. There have been obvious improvements with the increase in the number of ASD units. As the Minister has stated and we know from representations made to us, this is currently not enough. For a special needs assistant to complete the Hibernia College master's degree, according to a stipulation from the Department since 2012, he or she must take a career break of two years, with the degree programme costing €15,000 for the full-time course. The reality is most people cannot afford to do it and it suits people to do it on a part-time basis. The other option from the St. Nicholas Montessori College seems out of sync with the rest of the Department of Education and Skills.

My question is specifically about the Teaching Council categorisation and I urge the Minister even to consider the possibility of reviewing it. We need to be inclusive in schools and I am the biggest advocate of that. We must also acknowledge that there are very specific and specialised needs for children with additional needs. It might be time for the Department to introduce a specific course for teachers who will work with children in ASD units. The Minister mentioned earlier that schools should endeavour to get the most suitable staff but that is not always possible. If a course existed, people with an interest in the area would be funnelled into those positions.

Deputy Joe McHugh

I am certainly happy to look at this to see how we can improve and what supports we can provide for SNAs who are willing to retrain and re-skill, which is really important. I will be working very closely on the very good recommendations made in the SNA review.

I am challenging myself on the language we use regarding autism. I met AsIAm before Christmas and my officials since. On inclusiveness, are we using the proper titles? Even a term like "ASD unit" has all sorts of connotation; perhaps, therefore, it is time to really look at the language we use. I constantly use the term children or young people with autism, which is also wrong. They are autistic; it is not something that will be here today and gone tomorrow. I will work closely with the representative groups, but I would also like to hear Deputies' viewpoints on our use of language, even in the circulars I issue. I know that my officials are very conscious of this issue. It is a class, not a unit. It is not a disorder; rather, it is something people are born with. With the proper supports and services, they will get through life as well as anybody else who is not autistic.