Robert Troy
Ceist:187. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) will be accepted as a pupil at a school. [15260/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 2 April 2019
Ceisteanna (187)
Freagraí scríofa
The National Council for Special education (NCSE), an independent agency of my Department, is responsible for planning, coordinating and advising on education provision for children with special educational needs. The Council ensures that special schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing special school placements. However, occasionally this may result in some pupils not getting a place in the school of their first choice.
The NCSE’s team of locally based Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) are available to assist and advise parents whose children have special needs and identify available placements. They also support and advise schools in this area. Parents who are experiencing difficulties in locating a special school placement, should contact their local SENO.
Special school placements are provided for students with ASD and very complex special needs who wouldn’t manage in a mainstream school even for part of the week. Enrolment of a child in a special school is based on a professional recommendation for a special school placement in consultation with the NCSE.
Special schools are staffed based on their actual current pupil profiles and the disability category of each pupil, as opposed to primarily by school designation. School staffing levels are reviewed and updated each year by the NCSE.
The NCSE has informed my Department that there are currently sufficient special school placements available in Westmeath for those students that require this level of support.
A major project is currently under construction in the school referred to by the Deputy with a proposed handover date of November 2019. The new school project will deliver a new 2-storey 6-classroom base Special Needs School including a General Purpose Hall, all staff and pupil facilities, allowing for the school to accommodate an additional class for students with complex needs, should it be required in future years
My Department consulted with the NCSE when planning the new school build for this school. The NCSE is satisfied that the additional accommodation this project will deliver will meet future potential need for such placements.
If the family of the child in this case require further support, they should contact their local SENO.