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Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism Attendance by Minister for Education, Norma Foley T.D.

on Tuesday 23rd May at 11am Cathaoirleach, At the outset I want to thank you and the Committee for the invitation to be here today and I look forward to engaging with you in relation to how we as a State support our children and young people with autism.
I am accompanied today by a number of officials from the Department of Education: • Martina Mannion who is an Assistant Secretary in the Department with responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion; • Frank Hanlon and Martin McLoughlin who work as Principal Officers in the Special Education Section in the Department and • Jill Fannin who is a Principal Officer in the Teacher Education Section I want to take the opportunity at the outset to acknowledge the work of the Committee in bringing an increased focus on the 1 needs and experiences of children and adults with autism.
Although this Committee was only established in February of last year, I know that you have had a large number of meetings and engagements with stakeholders and I hope that this work has been beneficial for the Committee.

Summer programme In the area of education, I want to thank you for your interest in special education matters and in particular for the ‘Report on the Summer Programme 2023’ published by your Committee in November of last year.
I want to acknowledge the work that the Committee have put into delivering this report and to the people and groups who have contributed this this report and recommendations, including the parents’ advocacy groups.

My Department has also been preparing intensively for 2023 and I am delighted that the recommendations align with and support how we have further developed the programme.
I am happy to say that these efforts are bearing fruit, with more schools than ever before having signed up to run a Summer Programme this year.

This year, we have introduced several new initiatives aimed at increasing the number of children and schools that avail of the programme, including the appointment of a National Co- ordinator, a new portal for staff recruitment, increased resourcing 2 for schools running the programme as appropriate and allowing group tuition arrangements under the Home Programme.
We continue to work towards the successful rollout of the programme this summer but we have already seen positive developments.

In particular in specific respect of special schools, we have seen a 50% increase in the number of schools running a programme.

However, I continue to be ambitious for the programme for the years ahead and I want to continue to work hard to get more and more schools offering the programme each year.
I am happy to provide further updates on the Summer programme during our discussions today.

I know that the Committee have kindly provided a list of issues that you wish to discuss today and I might just now turn to them now to provide a summary update on each issue.

Teacher training and investment in education I know that the Committee are interested in the issue of teacher education.
I fully accept the importance of providing strong initial teacher education and professional learning opportunities for our teachers.

Firstly though, it is important that we continue to provide sufficient teaching and Special Needs Assistant supports for our students with additional needs.
In this regard, I am glad to say 3 that by the end of this calendar year we will have almost 40,000 staff, made up of Special Education Teachers and SNAs, working in our schools dedicated to supporting students with special educational needs.

I am determined to ensure that our newly qualified teachers are better prepared to teach all of our students, including those with special educational needs.
In March, I published an Initial Teacher Education Policy Statement which sets out a vision for initial teacher education to the end of this decade.

Through the actions in this Policy Statement, I have asked that the Teaching Council and my Department work towards requiring that all student teachers spend at least one placement in a special education setting.
This target will require significant engagement with Higher Education Institutions and schools but I think it is very important and will have a significant beneficial impact for our students into the future.

The accelerated provision of special education places for our children over the last three years, in the form of over 900 new special classes and 7 new special schools, will assist in making this a reality.
In relation to the continuing professional development of our school staff, I note that the Committee have rightly referred to the important role being played by the Middletown Centre for Autism.

4 The Centre was established to support the promotion of excellence throughout the island of Ireland in the education of children and young people with autism.
The Centre’s role is to complement and build on existing first level services, such as those available through the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

The Centre offers a wide range of specialist research, information and resources on evidence-informed approaches and practice-based professional learning.
Both my Department, and the NCSE who have been provided with additional funding to recruit more advisors, are committed to continuing to work closely with the Centre and looking to expand the range of supports and services it can offer.

Assessment of Needs Committee members will be aware that the Assessment of Need process is provided for under the Disability Act and that responsibility for the process lies the HSE.
Schools are now required to assist in the completion of an AON by providing existing school-based information contained in a Student Support Plan.

Assessment is a fundamental element of teaching and learning.

In finalising the assessment of need process, there has been extensive consultation with the education partners and with 5 individual schools.

I am very grateful to all those who contributed to this process.
My Department and the NCSE have put in place comprehensive supports to assist schools in completing the educational component of the HSE’s assessment of need process.

My Department is committed to monitoring the impact of the assessment of need process on schools and will formally review this at the end of the current school year.

This review will ensure that any additional guidance, support or resource that is required will be put in in place at the earliest possible opportunity.
Inclusive education Turning to the NCSE Policy Advice on Special Classes and Special Schools, it is important at the outset to highlight that the Department of Education’s policy in respect of supporting children and young people with special educational needs remains very clear.

Based on a child-centred approach to the provision of education, we want to ensure that all children with special educational needs can be provided with an education appropriate to their needs.
I am happy to say that the vast majority of children with special educational needs are educated in mainstream classes.

It is 6 estimated that approximately 98% of all children attend mainstream classes.

In the last few years, there has been a very significant increase in the number of children and young people being diagnosed with special educational needs; particularly in the area of autism.
We have responded to that by providing additional supports in mainstream classes and additional special class and special school places necessary to meet the emerging needs of those children and young people.

My Department received the policy advice from the NCSE on special classes and special schools in recent months.
The policy advice will need to be considered fully so that, long- term, a more inclusive education system can be delivered while also ensuring current demand from parents for special classes and special schools can also be supported.

Reinstatement of therapists in our special schools It is the Governments position to see therapists reinstated to all special schools.

Their value within the special school setting cannot be highlighted enough.
7 However, and as I understand you might have heard first hand from the Health Service Executive at a previous meeting, there is a lack of supply for these professionals, not only in Ireland but in mainland Europe.

My Department are working with the HSE and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth who have the lead responsibility on this matter to ensure this critical service is returned and are working on increasing supply in this field.
Conclusion We have come a long way in ensuring that children and young people with autism can access an appropriate education.

There is strong evidence to support this and I have provided some of this earlier.

However, I am ambitious that we continue to do more for our students.
There continues to be so much to learn in relation to how we support our children and young people with autism and it is important that my Department and relevant agencies and support services continue to review and adapt our policies, programmes and supports going forward.

I look forward to engaging with Committee members during today’s meeting and addressing any questions that they might have.

8 Thank you Chair.

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