Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 March 2025
414. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education for the number of National Educational Psychological Service assessments being made available for schools in Dublin South Central; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14127/25]
View answerThe National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides psychological support to all primary, post-primary, and special schools. The service is divided into six geographical regions and Dublin South Central is part of Region 3. There are currently 235 whole time equivalent psychologists providing a service across the country. 43 psychologists are currently employed in Region 3.
NEPS provides access for all schools to:
• Psychological support in the event of a Critical Incident.
• A casework service for individual students where there is a need for intensive consultation and assessment via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments (SCPA).
• A school staff Support and Development Service, to build school capability to provide a comprehensive continuum of support in schools.
• Ongoing access to advice and support for schools.
NEPS psychologists work with schools using a problem-solving model to help schools identify need and implement interventions to support those needs. As part of this model, NEPS encourages schools to use a continuum-based assessment and intervention process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and intervention support for children and young people with wellbeing, learning and/or social-emotional needs. This model means that children and young people do not need to have a psychological assessment or a diagnosis of a disability in order to access additional support in school. The psychologists may work directly with the child/young person, known as Direct Casework and this includes assessment, or the psychologist may work through teachers or teachers/parents to provide a psychological service for a child/young person, to be known as Indirect Casework.
