Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 June 2022
990. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Questions 397 and 398 of 31 May 2022, if her Department could examine the figures provided in view of the fact that in a reply to a previous Parliamentary Question the figure was 730 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29629/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraEnsuring that every child with special educational needs gets a suitable education is a priority for the Department of Education.
This year, the Department of Education will invest in excess of €2 billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget in the area of special educational needs support. The numbers of special education teachers, special needs assistants and special class and school places are at unprecedented levels.
The Department and the NCSE is planning for special school and special class provision nationwide on an ongoing basis. In recent years the NCSE has enhanced their long term forecasting models and there has been increased engagement and coordination between the Department and the NCSE. This enhanced long term forecasting model and engagement allows for a more efficient and streamlined process of establishing special education places. It allows us to make the best use of our expertise, information and knowledge to help inform decisions around education provision.
Since 2011, the number of special classes in mainstream schools has increased from 548 to a current total of 2,148 for the 2021/2022 school year.
Budget 2022 has provided for the creation of 287 additional special classes for the 2022/2023 school year. These additional classes will provide over 1,700 new places this year. This additional provision will bring the total number of special classes to 2,435 in the 2022/2023 school year.
My Department provides funding through a Home Tuition Grant Scheme towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school, outlined below.
Home tuition is not an alternative to a school placement and is provided in very limited and specific circumstances.
The Department provides home tuition grant schemes to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school,
This strand of the Home Tuition Scheme provides funding towards a compensatory educational service for children with special educational needs for whom such a placement is not available. The scheme also provides for early educational intervention for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) ,who meet the scheme’s criteria, aged from 2.5 - 5 years before they start in school.
Children aged 4 years and over, including those with ASD, may enrol in primary placements (including special class and special schools placements). All children must be enrolled in the primary school system, whether through placement in mainstream classes, in special classes or in special schools in the September prior to their sixth birthday.
In such circumstances the NCSE will actively engage at local level with schools, Patron Bodies and the families to ensure that suitable places are provided as soon as possible.
If, following completion of that work, the NCSE has not been able to establish the required school placements it can activate the provisions contained in section 37A of the Education Act 1998 if required.
The medical strand of the Home Tuition Scheme provides funding towards a compensatory educational service for students, enrolled in schools, with significant medical conditions which has caused, and is likely to continue to cause, major disruption to their attendance at school.
In exceptional cases the Department will provide home tuition applications on behalf of students with diagnoses of school phobia and/or associated depression/anxiety which causes major disruption to their attendance at school. This exception will only apply where a continued absence from school is required to facilitate appropriate medical or therapeutic intervention with a view to the re-integration of the student in their school.
The following table outlines the number of home tuition sanctions for the last 2 years under the different categories.
|
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
|
|
Special Education Home Tuition Schemes |
||
|
Age 2.5yrs – 6yrs* |
775 |
765 |
|
Age 6yrs+ ** |
86 |
77 |
|
Medical |
227 |
195 |
|
Mental Health |
346 |
291 |
* These relate in the main to the early intervention supports available to students before they commence in primary school.
** These children with SEN were 6 years old when sanction was approved and without the offer of a school place.
