Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022
840. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education if she will consider providing funding for the training of home tutors when working with students presenting with serious mental health problems and suicidal ideation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42471/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra841. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education if she will consider including home tutors as employees of her Department given that continuity of work is not recognised even when a home tutor has worked for a number of years with students in providing home tuition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42472/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra842. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education if she will consider ensuring home tutors who are governed by the home tuition scheme are given the right to, and made eligible for, sick pay and holiday pay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42473/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra843. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education if she will consider amending the current working conditions for home tutors as set out by her Department ensuring that home tutors governed by the home tuition scheme will be given the right to secure similar work outside of the official school calendar; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42474/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra844. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education if she will consider amending the current working conditions for home tutors as set out by her Department in order that they can claim travel expenses such as those made available for leaving certificate and junior certificate supervision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42475/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 840 to 844, inclusive, together.
My Department's Home Tuition Grant Schemes provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school. By its nature, it is intended to be a short term intervention.
The Home Tuition Grant Schemes are governed by annual circulars which sets out the purpose, eligibility criteria and details of the scheme. Circular 0046/2022 provides information in relation to the 2022/2023 Home Tuition Grant Scheme and can be accessed by clicking on the following link: www.gov.ie/en/circular/22b2a-home-tuition-grant-scheme-20222023-special-education-component/
As the Scheme is an educational service it is based on the school year. Therefore the periods which are covered for tuition and payment purposes reflect the school terms and do not include school holidays, bank holidays and weekends. This does not preclude tutors from securing similar work outside of the school calendar, such as providing tuition for other schemes such as the summer program.
For children and students who qualify under the Home Tuition Grant Schemes, sanction is given to approve a grant towards the engagement of a tutor who will provide home tuition for the child/student in question. Home tutors are engaged by the parents/guardian of the child who is to receive tuition and the tutor has no contractual relationship with the Department of Education.
In accordance with instructions from the Revenue Commissioners, payments under the Home Tuition Grant Scheme are subject to statutory deductions at source. In order to facilitate parents, my Department acts solely as payroll agents on behalf of the parents/guardian. The Department of Social Protection has determined that Home Tutors are engaged under a contract for service and are therefore self-employed and subject to PRSI Class S.
As outlined in Circular 0046/2022 tutor should ensure that they are fully aware of how the grant will issue under this scheme before any tuition is provided. A separate, detailed payment information note, www.gov.ie/pdf/38410/?page=1, which includes information on conditions of the scheme, rates and deductions can be accessed by clicking on the following link: www.gov.ie/pdf/38410/?page=1.
This note informs tutors that Home Tuition Grant Scheme only pays for actual tuition provided. It does not provide payment in respect of Travel costs incurred, expenses, tuition offered but not availed of by the student, sick pay, holiday pay and any period in which tuition is not pre-approved.
As tuition takes place outside the usual school structure it is important that home tutors are qualified to provide an educational programme. Accordingly, it is a condition of the scheme that parents/legal guardians recruit a tutor who is qualified in the sector in which tuition is being provided, and is registered with the Teaching Council for the duration of the approved tuition, up to and including issue of final payment. Where all efforts have failed to secure the services of a teacher qualified to teach in the sector concerned, the Department may consider the engagement of a person who is registered with the Teaching Council and has a primary degree (minimum Level 7 on the National Framework of Qualifications) in a relevant area, e.g. Psychology.
Students presenting with serious mental health problems and suicidal ideation who are in receipt of Home Tuition are catered for under the medical strand of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme. In order to qualify for this strand of the scheme a student must be enrolled in a school. The provision of child and adolescent mental health services lies specifically within the remit of the Department of Health and the HSE. HSE Primary Care Psychology Services and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) provide a range of clinical support to children and young people with mental health needs. However, the Department of Education also plays an important role in supporting the wellbeing and mental health of our young people.
The Department’s Wellbeing Policy and Framework for practice has given recognition to the importance of promoting wellbeing in education. A broad range of supports, resources and professional learning opportunities are being provided to support schools to promote and support wellbeing and resilience. My Department's Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) commenced a national roll-out of CPD for all schools on the implementation of my Departments Wellbeing Policy in March, which will make initial training with follow-up support visits available for all schools in the country over the next three years. My Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides a comprehensive psychological service to all primary and post primary schools. NEPS is a school-based service which means that all its psychologists work in schools with children, young people, teachers and parents, and are involved with school-related work, every day. The NEPS psychologist provides a range of services that may include supporting the wellbeing and inclusion of an individual pupil, through assessment and intervention. NEPS supports approximately 8000 individual children annually through this type of work. NEPS work also supports teachers in their work through providing professional learning opportunities, such as about trauma informed approaches, supporting autistic children, or delivering the Friends for Life programmes to help reduce anxiety. NEPS supports an estimated 25,000 teachers annually in this way.
The Department – through NEPS, Student Support Teams, Guidance Counsellors and other services - will also continue to signpost schools and students to the HSE/HSE-funded e-mental health services. The Department has built strong links with the Department of Health and both Departments are exploring ways to improve supports for young people, including around increased awareness, promoting help-seeking behaviour and sign-posting to the wide range of available services. We will continue to collectively explore ways of improving supports for children and young people.
