APPENDIX 2
Memorandum submitted by the Northern Ireland
Office
REVIEW OF
PAST RECOMMENDATIONS
Thank you for your letter of 15 July. I now
attach a composite response covering all of the Reports and recommendations
on which the Committee sought an indication of recent developments.
However, in respect of the Committee's First
Report 2002-03: Impact in Northern Ireland of Cross Border Road
Fuel Price Differentials: three years on HC105, the answers
to all of the questions posed are a matter for HM Customs &
Excise (Customs). Customs has supplied a memorandum covering these
matters approved by their Treasury Ministers. This is set out
below at Annex A.
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee's First
Report 1998-1999:
PUBLIC EXPENDITURE IN NORTHERN IRELAND: SPECIAL
NEEDS EDUCATION
HC 33 AND 317
The Northern Ireland administration has provided
a Memorandum in respect of the above report, which includes progress
updates and the Government's response in relation to specific
areas, as requested by the Committee:
GENERAL
1. Since 1999 there has been a marked increase
in the number of children identified with Special Educational
Needs (SEN), most markedly in the areas of Autism Spectrum Disorder
(ASD), Dyslexia, and Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (EBD).
In the period the number of children with Statements of SEN has
increased by 1,355, some 15%.
Table 1
NUMBER OF PUPILS WITH STATEMENTS, ALL ELBs—
SOURCE: ANNUAL SCHOOL CENSUS
| | Special Schools
| Special Units | Mainstream Classes
| Total |
| 1999 | 4,686
| 1,709 | 2,844 | 9,239
|
| 2000 | 4,674
| 1,745 | 3,188 | 9,607
|
| 2001 | 4,710
| 1,760 | 3,614 | 10,084
|
| 2002 | 4,879
| 1,775 | 3,991 | 10,645
|
| | |
| | |
2. In general terms, the Department of Education (DE)
can report that since the report of the Northern Ireland Affairs
Committee (NIAC) was prepared in 1999 a significant number of
steps have been taken to improve service provision for children
with SEN and their parents. Collaborative working has become the
norm with Special Educational Needs being seen as an issue which
must be addressed co-operatively.
3. The Department of Education is working in partnership
with:
— The Regional Strategy Group of the Education and
Library Boards (ELBs) on issues and projects such as: developing
consistency of approach across Northern Ireland; provision for
children with autism and dyslexia; pre-school provision; reviewing
the Annual Review process; provision for children with hearing
impairments; Post-16 provision; Speech and Language Therapy provision;
— The Inter-Departmental Group (IDG) on SEN with
membership from administrative and professional interests from
DE and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
(DHSS&PS);
— A specific Inter-Departmental Group on Transition
to adult and working life with membership from DE, the Department
of Employment and Learning (DEL) and DHSS&PS;
— The Voluntary Sector—several collaborative
projects have been undertaken;
— The Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI);
— The Department of Education and Science (DES)
in Dublin, including collaborative working to produce four Task
Group Reports on Autism and Dyslexia and also co-operation on
specific projects;
— The Four Nations—liaison with other parts
of the UK to consider common issues and solutions.
4. Two other developments are of note. Firstly, a Fundamental
Service Review of Special Education was undertaken by the ELBs'
Central Management Support Unit. Its report was published in March
2003 and through RSG, the Department of Education is considering
actions to address the recommendations.
5. Secondly, Legislation in England and Wales was amended
by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001. This
strengthens the right of parents to seek placement of a child
with SEN in a mainstream school and has significant financial
implications. The Department of Education hopes to enact corresponding
provisions in Northern Ireland during 2004.
6. Specific responses to the NIAC recommendations, (in
bold and grouped if there is a specific focus), are as follows:
NIAC RECOMMENDATION/PARAGRAPH 35: We urge ELBs to make
every effort to secure the completion of the statementing process
within the limits prescribed in the Code of Practice. We recommend
that they review their practices and procedures as a matter of
urgency with a view to ensuring that as many cases as possible
are so completed. This will include ensuring that adequate administrative
and professional resources are available to be devoted to this
important function. The review should include an examination of
ELBs' own administrative procedures with a view to ensuring that
there are no unnecessary administrative delays. We also recommend
that the ELBs consider jointly how best to complete the statementing
process as rapidly and efficiently as possible.
(38) We agree with the NIAO that a lack of involvement
of ELBs in the annual review process weakens their ability to
manage special educational resources effectively . . . We therefore
recommend that ELBs consider carefully the case for devoting additional
staff resources to this important function.
(52) The Comptroller and Auditor General also expressed
concern about the variations in the levels of statementing. We
recommend that the C&AG's recommendations designed to improve
consistency be carefully studied.
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE
Statementing
7. It is in the best interests of all concerned, and
particularly the children, that statements are completed within
the statutory time limits. The Department of Education's initial
response to the NIAC report, in July 1999, accepted the principle
in the Code of Practice (COP) that the target for ELBs to prepare
a draft statement is 18 weeks either from the request to the board
for a statutory assessment or from the board proposing to carry
out a statutory assessment. Since then DE has been working with
the ELBs to assist them in improving performance and encouraging
them to monitor their performance closely. It is accepted that
the ELBs are reliant on the receipt of advice from others involved.
All ELBs still experience difficulties in this area although delays
are most often as a result of problems in the timely receipt of
advice and also the timely co-operation of parents themselves.
8. The ELBs have put in place a number of measures designed
to ensure optimum response time:
— Use of procedures to issue reminders and follow
up advice that has not been submitted; ELBs regularly reinforce
the importance of adhering to timescales with personnel from other
agencies;
— Procedures have been refined to ensure that there
are no delays due to turn-around time when all advice has been
received;
— where delays in submission of advice is due to
parents not keeping appointments, contact is made with the school
and with the Education Welfare Officers (EWOs) to seek their assistance.
In some cases EWOs will transport parents to appointments;
— increased staffing levels of statementing officers;
— relevant forms, letters and information literature
connected with the statutory assessment process have been reviewed
to make their system more user friendly and to provide better
support to parents during the process.
9. Recent figures received from the ELBs for the period
April 2002 to March 2003, see table 2 below, show in four board
areas a marked improvement in statements completed from the position
reported in the update to the NIAO in April 2002. If we allow
for the statements not completed due to the exceptions identified
in the Code of Practice, the percentage of statements completed
in the 18-week period in 2002-03 ranges from 81% to 96% (two ELBs),
resulting in a 90% average for all ELBs.
Table 2
| BELB | WELB
| NEELB | SEELB |
SELB |
| | |
| | |
| Number of proposed statements completed April 2002 to March 2003
| 72 | 120 | 123
| 293 | 169 |
| Number completed within the 18-week statutory time frame
| 28 (39%) | 32 (27%) | 63 (51%)
| 123 (42%) | 98 (57%) |
| Number not completed within the statutory time framework—COP Exceptions
| 30 | 72 | 55 |
158 | 40 |
| Sub-total 2+3 | 58 | 104
| 118 | 281 | 138
|
| 4 as a percentage of 1 | 81% |
87% | 96% | 96% |
82% |
| Number not completed within the statutory time framework—not COP Exceptions
| 14 | 16 | 5 |
12 | 31 |
| These figures will be used as a reliable baseline against which future targets will be measured.
| | | |
| |
Educational Psychologists
10. The ELB Best Value Review suggested that the return
of advice from educational psychologists within the six-week period
is hampered by the shortage of these professionals in ELBs. In
addition, the effects of this shortfall are exacerbated if any
staff are on extended leave as it is even more difficult to recruit
psychologists on a short-term basis. Educational Psychologists
also highlighted that an increased amount of their time was being
devoted to support schools with behaviour cases.
11. Since the introduction of the Special Educational
Needs Code of Practice in 1998, the Department of Education has
made available additional funding each year to enable more Educational
Psychologists to be employed in each Education and Library Board
(ELB) area. As a result, total numbers have risen from 118 in
the year 2000 to 143 in 2003. In addition, in August 2003 the
Department of Education made resources available to enable each
ELB to appoint an Advisory Teacher and a Senior Education Psychologist
to support children with ASD.
12.
Table 3
NUMBERS OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS IN POST. (April 2003)
| Board | Full-time EP
| Part-time EP | Total
|
| BELB | 20 | 14
| 34 |
| WELB | 22 | 5
| 27 |
| NEELB | 20 | 6
| 26 |
| SEELB | 18 | 9
| 27 |
| SELB | 20 | 9
| 29 |
| Total | 100 |
43 | 143 |
| | |
|
13. In addition, the number of teachers supported by
the ELBs on the MSc in Educational Psychology at Queens University
Belfast has risen from five in 1998 to the present complement
of 12 per annum, through funding made available for the introduction
of the Department of Education's Code of Practice. Their training
programme has also been reorganised in conjunction with Queen's
University.
14. The Education and Training Inspectorate reported
in 2000 on the Educational Psychology Service in Northern Ireland
and recommended that: "ELBs should review the present
working practices of psychologists to identify those tasks which
could be done by others in the Education Service, thus freeing
up the psychologists' time so that they have greater opportunities
to enhance equality of support they can offer to schools, parents
and children". Schools and the Standing Conference on
Special Education have also expressed the view that valuable psychologist
time is taken up administering and writing up the results of diagnostic
tests that confirm the teacher's existing knowledge of the child's
abilities. The Principal Educational Psychologists also reaffirmed
this view during consultation, believing that their role should
be developing expertise in particular fields, eg autistic spectrum
disorder and disseminating best practice to schools to manage
such needs.
15. Following a strategic review of the Educational Psychology
service in the South Eastern ELB, a pilot project will be supported
by the Department in that area, subject to RSG agreement. Two
Assistant Educational Psychologists will be appointed firstly
to provide additional manpower and reduce response time to Stage
3 referrals and, secondly, to make Educational Psychologists more
available to provide support for schools in planning and monitoring
individual and learning programmes; giving advice on support arrangements
and helping provide in-service training in area such as managing
ASD, ADHD and EBD.
16. Other steps taken include clarification of the role
played by Educational Psychologists in determining a pupil's need
for additional examination time. Psychologists no longer routinely
perform this function and protocols in respect of "Independent
Reports" from Educational Psychologists are being devised
by the Principal Educational Psychologists, acting as a sub-group
of RSG.
Action to Support Child before Statement Issues
17. ELBs have advised that they make considerable effort
to provide support for children pending the completion of the
statement. This support may have already been provided at Stage
3 of the Code of Practice, and therefore would not be withdrawn
pending the outcome of the statutory assessment process. In other
cases support is provided under ELBs' emergency provision where
initial reports make the need clear and unambiguous.
18. Where it is felt that a final statement is likely
to indicate that a child will require a special school placement,
the Board will put in place outreach, peripatetic teaching or
classroom assistant support in the child's current special unit
or mainstream class placement, until the statutory assessment
process has been completed.
Management Information
19. As acknowledged in the NIAO report, Management Information
Systems are not fully developed in the ELBs and the special education
sections of the five ELBs operate with a variety of manual and
IT-based information systems. For some years the ELBs have acknowledged
that these various systems are not capable of meeting today's
growing demands for comprehensive statistical data. The Department
of Education's key strategic concern is for all ELBs to have a
consistent system in place which can respond quickly to ad
hoc requests for SEN statistics and can supply management
information on Board performance, for example in relation to meeting
the statutory and non-statutory time limits etc for statementing
etc. While DE bids for funding to implement a comprehensive IT
database across the special education sections of the ELBs were
unsuccessful, the ELBs are working with the Board Information
Systems Programme Directorate (BISPD) to take forward their SEN
ICT requirements alongside the new Education Welfare Service ICT
system. An Operational Requirement (OR) for an ICT system across
the five ELBs has now been agreed and the decision made to appoint
a project manager to take forward this initiative. Amongst other
things, the OR stipulates that the system must be able to define
targets for each stage of the assessment and statementing process;
measure progress against those targets, with an "Alerts"
facility to allow staff to prioritise and manage cases which are
running late. Once this common system is in place, management
of the process will become more efficient and effective.
Annual Reviews
20. The Fundamental Service review of SEN within the
five ELBs has also identified the Annual Review process as an
area that consumed significant time, effort and resources. However,
although the process appears straightforward and consultation
with schools has shown that the process is valuable, the many
associated practicalities have been proving difficult, costly
to implement and school staff have questioned the value of the
exercise. Figures for 2001-02 show that only 13% of the 8,625
annual reviews carried out required an amendment to the statement.
Whilst recognising that the annual review provides reassurance
for some parents, the response to the Best Value review consultation
emphasised the amount of effort that is required for Annual Reviews
when the process results in so few changes in either special or
mainstream schools. The value of the Annual Review in special
schools, in particular, was questioned. The absence of standardised
forms was also highlighted as a major concern.
21. As a consequence a Working Group of Principals, Designated
Special Education Officers and a representative of DE has been
established to examine the issues and problems in this area, including
the implications for legislative change, the possibility of standardising
paperwork and the general dissemination of best practice.
Commonality Across ELBs
22. To address the issue of commonality in the issuing
of statements, the RSG has worked up common criteria for use across
all ELBs at stage 4 of the Code of Practice ie statutory assessment
criteria. Criteria for the following areas (which are in line
with the Code of Practice) have been considered:
— learning difficulties—moderate and severe;
— specific learning difficulties;
— emotional and behavioural difficulties;
— physical disability/medical difficulties;
— sensory impairment—hearing/visual difficulties;
— speech and language difficulties; and
— pre-school children with developmental difficulties.
23. A set of criteria has been agreed by ELBs for the
areas listed above with the exception of speech and language.
The ELBs and the Department of Education are working together
to consider the equality implications of the agreed criteria and
their wider implications. In particular, the RSG sub-group established
to investigate this issue has recommended that the common criteria
be piloted for a one-year period prior to implementation.
PARENTAL PERCEPTIONS
AND EXPECTATIONS
NIAC RECOMMENDATION/PARAGRAPH 78: We recommend that DENI,
the ELBs and the HSSBs review the scope for improving parental
perceptions of their involvement. A greater attention to this
aspect in the training of the professionals involved might be
appropriate.
(73) . . . both HSSBs and ELBs may need collectively
to work together more closely in meeting parental expectations
for services. We hope that they will pay full regard to parental
concerns in this respect, and seek to draw on the expertise of
organisations with particular interest in, and experience of,
assisting children with special educational needs.
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE
24. The introduction of the Code of Practice on the Identification
and Assessment of Special Educational Needs in 1998 served to
increase awareness of special educational needs in schools and
among parents. In order to ascertain whether they consider the
system achieves its aims, ie how user friendly it is and whether
it results in children's special educational needs being met in
the best way possible, the Department of Education has commissioned
the University of Ulster to undertake a research project to carry
out a survey of parental opinion. Early indications show that
parents generally have high levels of satisfaction with the process.
The final report is due shortly.
25. DE is very aware of the need to inform and involve
parents in the various aspects of their child's SEN. It has therefore
produced complementary parent and teacher videos and CD-ROMs,
along with guidance material on Autism. These have been distributed
to parents' groups and schools. Parents will also be the focus
of work by Parents and Professionals Autism (PAPA), which worked
in partnership with DE in the production of these materials. They
intend to use them as part of the training package linked to the
Keyhole Project which aims to provides an holistic approach to
interventions with families who have pre-school children with
Autism, aged between two and four years. Similar resources for
parents and professionals related to Dyslexia will be available
in the Autumn.
26. Plans are in hand to establish a Centre of Excellence
in the education of children with Autism at Middletown in Co Armagh.
This is a North/South initiative between the Department of Education
and the Department of Education and Science (DES) and the aim
of the Centre is to promote excellence in the education of children
and young people with ASD throughout Ireland. Education and health
professionals will work with children of all ages and their families
to achieve effective management of the condition. DHSSPS are involved
also in the steering group and have been meeting with Health and
Social Services Boards and the local Trust to look at support
levels etc. DHSSPS is also assessing what additional training
for staff is required, particularly in respect of early diagnosis.
27. Provisions corresponding to the Special Educational
Needs and Disability Act 2001 are to be enacted in Northern Ireland.
These are likely to:
— strengthen the rights of children with SEN to
be educated in mainstream schools where parents want this and
the interests of other children can be protected;
— require ELBs to make arrangements for services
to provide parents of children with SEN with advice and information
and the means of resolving disputes with schools and Boards;
— require Boards to comply within prescribed periods,
with orders of the Special Educational Needs Tribunal (SENT) and
make other changes in support of the SENT appeals process and
the statutory assessment process;
— require schools to inform parents where they are
making special educational provision for their child and ensure
parents have a right of appeal where schools request a statutory
assessment of a pupil's SEN.
28. Finally, the ELBs' Fundamental Service Review acknowledged
the importance of the views of children and parents being heard
and a number of focus groups were held to gather views.
Inter-Departmental/ELB/Voluntary Sector Co-operation
29. Since the NIAC report was published the Department
of Education and DHSS&PS have acknowledged the need for improvement
in a number of areas, for example, in the area of therapy provision
. One particular pilot initiative operating across the Education
and Library Boards is working to jointly address the speech and
language needs of Key Stage 1 pupils. In addition DHSSPS have
made additional funding available in the last year to develop
therapy provision.
30. A joint DHSSPS/DE SEN steering group, with administrative
and professional representation, was established in April 2001
(the IDG on SEN). Its aim is to ensure that children with Special
Educational Needs are provided with appropriate services in line
with the Northern Ireland Programme for Government target of promoting
the health and social development of children. Six key areas have
been identified for action including Autistic Spectrum Disorder
(ASD), collaborative working, nursing provision in special schools,
the preparation of guidance for schools on dealing with medical
needs, and a review of the health service workforce, including
nurses and therapists, which DHSS&PS has undertaken.
31. A joint planning group has been set up, with representatives
from DE, DHSS&PS and the Department for Employment and Learning
(DEL), to focus on the transition of pupils with SEN from school
and the opportunities available thereafter. The group is identifying
the main issues that are relevant to each department's sphere
of responsibility. Co-operation between agencies which will play
a major role during the post school years, eg parents; careers
service; health and social services authority; is vital. Projects
involving partnerships formed between statutory agencies and voluntary
organisations have proved very useful in the past in assisting
the transition planning process as has the direct consultation
with parents, carers and the young people themselves, which has
been an ongoing process involving all of the Departments within
the working group. Further, as a working group, the three Departments
agreed to hold a seminar to which DE invited a number of groups,
mainly from the Voluntary Sector, to share experiences of their
existing programmes. DHSSPS hosted the seminar which was held
in Castle Buildings in September 2003 to facilitate the presentation
of this work and was a very useful event for both officials and
presenters alike. This will enable departments better to evaluate
developing provision in this area with a view to devising a Northern
Ireland-wide model of best practice.
32. In relation to mental health, Riverside Special School
and Muckamore Abbey Hospital have established a joint approach
to a care and education programme for children receiving treatment
in Muckamore. A joint care and education plan for the children
has been drawn up which provides for a multi-disciplinary team
with a teacher and classroom assistance, funded by DE at £60,000.
It has been agreed that the joint DE/DHSS&PS approach involving
the exchange of information and co-operative working has greatly
improved the situation regarding management of the children.
33. At a local level, there is a high level of partnership
working between Trusts, Special Schools and ELBs to ensure that
the optimum provision is made for these children.
34. DE and DHSS&PS are developing protocols for collaborative
working for professional staff in both organisations. A joint
seminar was held in April 2003. Close links have been established
with the voluntary sector, particularly in the areas of production
of resource materials and training, and we are very aware of the
mutual benefit that can accrue from such contacts.
SPEECH AND
LANGUAGE THERAPY
NIAC RECOMMENDATION/PARAGRAPH 65: We recommend that steps
be taken to seek to improve the recruitment and retention of speech
and language therapists in Northern Ireland.
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE
35. Responsibility for providing speech and language
therapy rests with the DHSS&PS and the Health and Social Services
Boards and Trusts. There have been acknowledged difficulties in
this area. There is also at present a shortage of qualified speech
and language therapists and the complexity of communication disorders,
with which children are presenting, is greater than, for example,
five years ago. The associated problems can therefore take longer
to resolve. DE and DHSS&PS therefore agreed to work more closely
in this area and it has been a major agenda item for the Inter-Departmental
Group on Special Educational Needs.
36. DHSS&PS has undertaken a review of the speech
and language workforce. The review identified a number of recruitment
and retention issues. It is recognised that there is no single
simple solution to increasing the number of Speech and Language
Therapists in the HPSS workforce. Several recruitment and retention
strategies, including family friendly work life balance policies
will need to be established in order to make a significant improvement
on the overall numbers of staff. In the meantime, DHSS&PS
approved an increase of 10 in the intake of Speech and Language
Therapy students in September 2001; naturally it will be some
time before this makes its impact.
37. In 2001 the Department of Education accessed £700,000
from the Executive Programme Funds for a project, "Early
Intervention for Children with Learning Difficulties", which
will concentrate on the delivery of a more efficient and effective
service for children at Key Stage 1 with speech and language impairment.
The project focuses on training for teachers and classroom assistants
to enable them to identify children at an early stage with speech
and language difficulties. The project targets schools in New
Targeting Social Need (NTSN) areas of Northern Ireland and is
being implemented by collaboration between the ELBs and DHSS&PS.
Early indications are that the project is working well. Teachers
report feeling more confident; the children are showing measurable
improvement; and the Speech and Language Therapists consider it
will have a positive impact in the long run on their caseloads
and waiting lists. This is a positive example of a multi-agency
approach to a cross-departmental problem.
FUNDING
NIAC RECOMMENDATION/PARAGRAPH 46: . . . more should be
done to monitor how targeted resources are used and to evaluate
their impact on pupils with social and educational needs . . .
(47) . . . [schools] should also be required to publish
details of how they have used that part of their delegated budget
intended to be spent in this area [SEN]
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE
Assessment of Relative Needs Exercise (ARNE)
38. Within the Assessment of Relative Needs Exercise
(ARNE) methodology, which was used in recent years to distribute
recurrent resources between the ELBs, historical expenditure was
used as a proxy for relative needs for special education. A review
by consultants of this distribution methodology, to complement
the introduction of the common formula funding for schools, recommended,
in light of the Warnock Report findings, that total school age
children figures should replace the historical cost indicator
for special education. The consultants' report also recommended
the 5.5% top slicing of available special education funding and
its distribution across boards using the Noble Multiple Deprivation
measure of the top 25% most deprived wards. Both these recommendations
have failed to achieve 5 Board agreement and are still under consideration
by the Department of Education.
Local Management of Schools (LMS)—Common Funding Scheme
39. Additionally, legislation introduced in 2003 requires
DE to draw up a common funding scheme to apply to all schools
funded under Local Management of Schools (LMS) arrangements by
April 2005. These arrangements will apply to special units attached
to primary and post primary schools, but not to special schools
for which costs are met centrally.
40. The Department of Education has devised a common
LMS funding formula made up of a range of factors, including a
Targeting Social Need (TSN) factor. This will comprise two elements:
a social deprivation element related to the additional costs faced
by schools in educating pupils from a disadvantaged background,
and a special educational need element, which seeks to recognise
the extra support required by pupils performing below the expected
level for their age regardless of social background.
41. A proposal set out in the consultation document on
the common formula, (published in April 2001), that schools should
be required to account for funding received under the TSN factor,
received widespread support. It is important to bear in mind that
accounting for TSN expenditure must recognise that a school's
budget allocation under Local Management of Schools (LMS) is unhypothecated.
It should also avoid any significant additional administration.
If schools were required to provide a detailed account, this would
require the establishment of complex recording and costing systems
and would be very expensive and time-consuming to administer.
It has therefore been proposed that the annual LMS Out-turn statement
is expanded to include a section on accounting for TSN funds.
Towards the end of the financial year the funding authority will
issue a form to each school, setting out details of the allocation
made under the two elements of TSN factor and asking the school
to show its estimated expenditure under the various headings.
There will be no requirement to match expenditure precisely to
income—schools may continue to make their own decisions
on relative priorities, taking account of their particular circumstances.
However, schools will be expected to provide an explanation where
expenditure is substantially below the TSN allocation.
Management Information
42. A recent ELB Best Value Fundamental Service Review
undertook an in-depth analysis of expenditure in this area also
highlighted the need for improved and consistent management information
to improve ELBs' ability to derive accurate detailed costings.
In this context it is welcome that the Operational Requirement
for a Board SEN system (see para 19) makes provision for the retention
of information in relation to the costs of provision, from which
reports can be produced and targets monitored.
43. In addition, the Annual School Census is now producing
statistics on all children with SEN in mainstream and special
schools at stages 1 to 5 of the Code of Practice. Previously only
children with statements were included. This will enable more
meaningful comparisons to be made between ELBs.
Quality Assurance and Evaluation
44. The ETI provides quality assurance and evaluation
with expertise across phases, subjects and specific minority areas
which encompass the education system; their task is to identify
and report publicly on practice and exemplars of good practice,
which includes reporting on the effective use of whatever teaching
strategies and methodologies are observed. In respect of special
needs, ETI publishes reports in relation to specific inspections
and also Northern Ireland-wide surveys on a range of issues.
INCLUSION
NIAC RECOMMENDATION/PARAGRAPH 75: . . . it is likely that
an increased number of [statemented] children will be educated
in mainstream schools. The challenge for such schools will be
enhanced by the fact that many of these children are likely to
have more profound needs than such schools have normally faced
hitherto. This will need to be reflected in the funding such schools
receive.
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE
45. In further developing its policy on special education
and inclusion the Department of Education will want to: reflect
best practice, policy and principles; recognise the broader role
of the special school sector; develop a culture to promote inclusive
practices; and place educational developments in Northern Ireland
at the fore of progressive development. In addressing the challenge
of inclusion, DE is actively considering and developing the contributions
which can be made to strategic thinking and planning in this area
through close working relationships between DE and other relevant
bodies and individuals.
46. The Department of Education is fully aware that the
proportion of pupils with statements in Northern Ireland, as a
percentage of the total school population, has shown a steady
increase in recent years, from 1.6% in 1990-91, through 2.5% in
1996-97, to 2.9% in 2001-02. Some 35% of statemented pupils are
placed in mainstream schools: this proportion has been increasing
steadily in recent years and now is more than double that of 10
years ago. If the number of children in Special Units attached
to Mainstream Schools is added the proportion rises to 53% of
the total. The most recent figures available show that approximately
10,645 children have statements of special educational need.
47. Inclusion is of key interest to DE and the ETI who
are undertaking extensive work relating to inclusion of pupils
with SEN across all sectors. The Department of Education is also
aware that, not only have the numbers of children with SEN risen,
but the range and complexity of disabilities have increased, both
in mainstream and special schools. DHSSPS is also very much aware
of the change in client profile and its potential impact on required
support services.
48. The Department of Education will continue to press
for additional resources to meet increasing demand.
49. The level of funding for special education is determined
by the ELBs as part of their annual decisions about the allocation
of their Block Grant. Each ELB can determine how best to distribute
these funds in accordance with its own priorities. Mainstream
school budgets allocated under the LMS system contain an additional
element to cater for the needs of any non-statemented pupils with
special educational needs. The costs associated with statemented
children in mainstream schools are not separately identified.
50. Substantial additional resources, specifically targeted
at strengthening mainstream provision, have been provided to support
the introduction of the Code of Practice in Northern Ireland.
Eight million pound is available each year to provide support
for the schools and ELBs in the ongoing implementation of the
Code. To date, some £39 million has been allocated to help
meet the additional cost of funds for schools to help support
SEN provision; expanding outreach and peripatetic provision; increased
numbers of classroom assistants; clerical and administrative support
for ELBs and schools; the installation of a computerised SEN record
system in schools; additional Educational Psychologists and training
for teachers and governors.
NIAC RECOMMENDATION/PARAGRAPH 59: . . . the success or
otherwise of a mainstream school's SEN policy will stand or fall
on the competence and commitment of the SENCO. It is therefore
vital that schools select their SENCO with particular care and
ensure that they receive appropriate training . . . we hope that
DENI will take steps to ensure that appropriate funding arrangements
are in place to ensure that lack of funding does not discourage
potential trainees . . . the introduction of the Code of Practice
means that teachers generally, and not just SENCOs, will need
greater training in special educational needs . . . we recommend
the continued provision of ring-fenced training resources in this
area.
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE
Training of Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOS)
51. Since the introduction of the Code of Practice there
has been significant training in this area. Out of ear-marked
money the Department of Education has made £1.7 million available
to the ELBs to support training opportunities for SENCOs, other
school staff and governors.
52. The Regional Training Unit offers a two-year diploma
on the role of the SENCO which has had significant uptake. The
Diploma focuses on the management of SEN in mainstream schools,
including the development of multi-agency work. This course has
resulted in a well-trained cohort of teachers, with expertise
in the area of special needs, who have been instrumental in enhancing
the quality of education for those children with special needs
and have been a decided influence in enhancing teacher expertise
in schools.
Support for teachers in aspects of special education: General
53. Developments are taking place to address concerns
which have been expressed with regard to the education and training
of teachers working with children with SEN. It is the Department
of Education's policy that initial teacher education (ITE) should
produce generally qualified teachers and that training for those
wishing to focus on other areas such as special education should
be made available through in-service training.
54. ETI has carried out two surveys of ITE in the last
five years, since the introduction of the new BEd degree, which
prepares teachers to teach in mainstream primary and secondary
schools, and is currently carrying out an inspection into the
arrangements for induction for Beginning Teachers and for teachers
in Early Professional Development. The inspection findings to
date indicate that, while the Beginning Teachers in special schools
are coping well, the three-day induction course designed to meet
their specific needs is insufficient for the purpose and it is
expected that changes in the format of the induction programme
will be implemented in the coming academic year. These should
result in more focused support for Beginning Teachers in special
schools.
55. Other developments of note are:
— the universities are developing modules specifically
for teachers related to aspects of special education for inclusion
in the Masters programme; and
— the Department of Education has recently accessed
£0.5 million to provide training related to special educational
needs provision in pre-school settings specifically in relation
to Autism.
GLOSSARY
| ADHD | Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
|
| ARNE | Assessment of Relative Needs Exercise
|
| ASD | Autism Spectrum Disorder
|
| BISPD | Board Information Systems Programme Directorate
|
| C&AG | The Comptroller and Auditor General
|
| COP | Code of practice |
| DE | Department of Education
|
| DEL | Department of Employment and Learning
|
| DES | Department of Education and Science in Dublin
|
| DHSS&PS | Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
|
| EBD | Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties
|
| ELB | Education and Library Board
|
| ETI | Education and Training Inspectorate
|
| EWS | Education Welfare Service
|
| HSST | Health and Social Services Trust
|
| ICT | Information and Communications Technology
|
| IDG | Inter-Departmental Group on SEN
|
| ITE | Initial Teacher Education
|
| LMS | Local Management of Schools
|
| NIAC | Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
|
| NIAO | Northern Ireland Audit Office
|
| OFMDFM | Office of the First & Deputy First Ministers
|
| RSG | Regional Strategy Group of the ELBS
|
| SEN | Special Educational Needs
|
| SENCO | Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator
|
| SENT | Special Educational Needs Tribunal
|
| STANDING CONFERENCE ON SPECIAL EDUCATION—a forum for discussion of SEN issues between the Department of Education, CCMS, the Teacher Unions and ELBs
| |
| 
