I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and advise the following:
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is an independent statutory agency which has been established under the provisions of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act, 2004.
The NCSE was set up to improve the delivery of education services to persons with special educational needs arising from disabilities. The NCSE has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. It has well established structures in place for engaging with schools and parents.
The aim of the NCSE is to support an inclusive education system that enables students and adults with special educational needs to achieve their potential.
The NCSE works with schools to develop schools’ capacity to support students with special educational needs and to promote a continuum of educational provision which is inclusive and responsive.
Training is available for schools in relation to the provision of support for children with special educational needs from the NCSE’s Regional Service.
The NCSE Support Service provides:
- Continual Professional Development (CPD) and support for teachers in the area of special educational needs (SEN) to enhance the quality of learning and teaching in relation to SEN provision
- Support and expertise to schools on issues related to behaviour
- Support for the allocation of teaching and care supports to schools.
The aim of the NCSE Support Service is to develop schools’ capacity to include students with special educational needs and to promote a continuum of educational provision which is inclusive and responsive.
The NCSE School Support Portal is the platform through which schools can apply to the NCSE for in-school support for whole staff, group and individual teachers. Support may be in the form of telephone support, email support, video conferences and, in circumstances where public health advice permits, a school visit, or a whole school seminar. Teachers may also apply for funding to attend approved teacher professional development courses.
In accordance with the provisions of the Education Act, 1998 it is the duty of the school patron, for the purposes of ensuring that a recognised school is managed in a spirt of partnership, to appoint where practicable a board of management the composition of which is agreed between patrons of schools, national association of parents, recognised school management organisations, recognised trade unions and staff associations representing teachers and the Minister. The agreed composition and procedures for the appointment of Boards of primary schools are set out in my Department’s publication “The Governance Manual for Primary Schools 2019 – 2023”.
The Education Act 1998 provides, inter alia, that it is the duty of the Board to manage the school on behalf of the patron, for the benefit of the students and their parents and to provide or cause to be provided an appropriate education for each student at the school. Boards of management are supported through advice and training provided by the relevant school management bodies. In this regard the National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education (NABMSE) is the recognised school management body for boards of management of special schools and mainstream primary and post-primary schools providing education for pupils with special educational needs.
