Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 June 2024
186. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if she will give consideration to amending the home tuition scheme to reflect earlier specialised preschool enrolment (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26997/24]
View answerThe Purpose of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons, are unable to attend school. The scheme also provides a compensatory educational service for children with special educational needs seeking an educational placement for whom such a placement is not available.
Specifically, the Deputy is referring to the strand of the scheme that caters for Pre-school aged children with autism who meet the scheme’s eligibility criteria. The age requirement is in line with the enrolment age of children who are seeking an early intervention class. The children who qualify under this strand of the scheme are seeking an Early Intervention class placement which is not currently available, as confirmed by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). Early intervention classes are available for children aged 3 to 5 with Autism and the home tuition scheme is a designed to align with this criteria.
Provision is also made for early educational intervention through home tuition for children aged from 2.5 years to 3 years with autism.
Ensuring that every child with special educational needs gets a suitable education is a priority for the Department of Education.
Home Tuition Grant Schemes are governed by annual circulars which sets out the purpose, eligibility criteria and details of the scheme. Circular 0050/2024, which was released early last week, provides information on the 2024/2025 Home Tuition Grant Scheme for children with special educational needs and medical grounds. It can be accessed by clicking on the following link: www.gov.ie/en/circular/9c0f9-home-tuition-grant-scheme-20242025-special-education-component/.
Under the special educational needs and medical grounds home tuition scheme, funding can be provided towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for:
(a) Pre-school Aged Children with Autism who meet the scheme’s eligibility criteria
(b) Students with special educational needs seeking an educational placement in a recognised school
(c) Students, enrolled in schools, with a significant medical condition, or school phobia and/or associated depression/anxiety, which has caused, and is likely to continue to cause, major disruption to their attendance at school.
