Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 November 2020
733. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if increased levels of supports, resources and access to assessment of need will be made available immediately to children in disadvantaged situations and to those with special educational needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32696/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that as a result of the recent budget announcement, this Department will spend approximately €2 Billion, or over 20% of its total educational budget, next year on making additional provision for children with special educational needs next year.
This represents an increase of over 50% in total expenditure since 2011, at which point €1.247 Billion per annum was provided.
Additional provision is being made in 2021 for over 400 additional special education teachers and almost 1000 additional Special Needs Assistants (SNAs).
The main supports this funding provides include additional specialist teachers, special needs assistants, special classes and special schools together with a diverse range of programmes and supports to help children with special and additional care need to receive an education in accordance with their needs.
I can also advise that provision of services for children with special educational needs has in recent years moved towards a needs based identification process, as opposed to being based primary on a requirement for a diagnosis of a particular disability, which may require an assessment of need.
A new model for allocating special education teachers to mainstream schools was introduced with effect from September 2017.
Under the new model, assessment, or diagnosis of a particular condition is no longer necessary for pupils to access educational teaching resources in schools, nor is there now a requirement for schools to submit assessments annually in order to apply for additional teaching resources.
This has helped to end delays in allocations. Pupils need no longer experience delays in receiving reports which could, in the past, deny a child access to necessary learning supports.
Schools may allocate additional teaching support to pupils where it has identified learning needs using school based assessment or the Continuum of Support and the Guidelines provided to schools. Schools can also draw on professional reports where available.
Medical and other professional assessments may continue to be used to help explain, and provide a better understanding of a child’s needs, the nature of difficulties, and to inform relevant interventions. They are not however, a requirement for the provision of additional teaching support.
A new model for allocating Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools is also being developed. This model will not require children to have a diagnosis of a particular disability in order to access services and assessments for individual children were not required to be submitted for the 2020/21 school year.
The criteria for accessing Reasonable Accommodations at State Exams and Irish Exemptions are also now needs based and not requiring assessment of disability.
The National Council for Special Education is also currently preparing policy advice in relation to the provision of special school and special class placements and this policy advice is expected to be finalised by the end of 2020.
Finally, I can advise the Deputy that significant additional supports are also provided to schools under the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme, which provides additional supports to disadvantaged schools. Pupils attending these schools are not required to have an assessment of need in order to access supports under this scheme.
