I propose to take Questions Nos. 457 and 458 together.
Providing inclusive education to children with special educational needs is a fundamental principle of the education system. This principle is observed through Department policies, Teaching Council requirements for initial teacher education, curriculum provision and the range of supports provided to schools by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and Oide.
Teachers undertake professional learning in a range of pedagogical, curricular and educational areas. Teacher Professional Learning (TPL) provided for teachers supports the inclusion of students with Special Education Needs (SEN) in mainstream classrooms
Inclusive education is a mandatory element of initial teacher education (ITE) programmes. Within further updated standards which the Teaching Council adopted in 2020, known as Céim Standards for Initial Teacher Education, inclusive education was further strengthened as one of seven core elements which must underpin all aspects of programmes of ITE.
Launched in March 2023, the Policy Statement on Initial Teacher Education looks to build on the work carried out to enhance inclusive education under Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education. The Teaching Council provided a report to my department in October 2024 on how the core element of inclusive education has been included in initial teacher education. This will help foster progress on other actions agreed as part of the Policy Statement on Initial Teacher Education.
In March of this year, the Minister initiated a process to move towards a mandatory assessed placement period in a special education need (SEN) setting for all student teachers, supported by appropriate modules.
In seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the current landscape of school placement provision in special education settings, the Teaching Council conducted a survey across all Initial Teacher Education (ITE) providers in April of this year. The findings from the survey have been analysed and are being used to inform drafting of a guidance note for ITE providers. This will hopefully support the Teaching Council’s decision-making in relation to the introduction of a two-week assessed student placement period in a SEN setting on an interim basis from September 2026 and the potential for its long-term inclusion in the revision of Céim, which are the agreed standards for the provision of ITE.
The move to mandatory assessed placements in special education settings builds on the already extensive changes to ITE in recent years to support a more inclusive education system.
The Department and the NCSE provide a range of guidance and resources to support schools in implementing effective classroom strategies for pupils additional needs.
These materials are designed to assist schools in adopting evidence-informed, inclusive practices, including the use of movement breaks, sensory supports, and differentiated instruction. While the guidance is advisory in nature, it is meant to complement schools’ statutory obligations under Department of Education policy and the Special Education Teaching (SET) model.
Differentiated instruction is embedded within both the SET Guidelines and the broader NCSE approach to inclusive pedagogy.
The revised Special Education Teacher Guidelines, developed jointly by the Department of Education, NCSE, NEPS, and the Inspectorate, emphasise:
• Creating inclusive learning environments that accommodate varied learning strengths and needs.
• Collaborative problem-solving approaches for identifying pupils’ strengths, needs, and required supports.
• Adoption of needs-based, pupil-centred planning aligned with inclusive school culture.
The principles underlying differentiated instruction closely align with Universal Design for Learning, which promotes flexible teaching methods, diverse ways of engaging with content, and multiple means of demonstrating learning.
While UDL is not mandated, it is strongly encouraged within national guidance as a best-practice framework for reducing barriers and supporting learner variability in mainstream classrooms.
The Department and NCSE guidance documents are not mandatory in a purely statutory sense:
• They are provided to assist schools in meeting their obligations under the Department of Education’s SET model and broader inclusive education policy.
• Department-issued SET Guidelines, which incorporate NCSE input and link to NCSE resources, are binding on schools in relation to the organisation and deployment of special education teaching resources.
• Schools are therefore expected to consider NCSE guidance as part of their evidence-informed practice when planning supports for pupils with additional needs.
Furthermore, the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) psychological support to primary, post-primary and special schools. NEPS support schools in a consultative, problem-solving approach to promote better understanding of the child or young person’s strengths and needs, to suggest interventions that may be helpful to include in the Student Support Plan, and to assist schools to implement, monitor and review those interventions. This work is done in partnership with school staff, parents and the child or young person themselves.
The focus of the NEPS Support & Development Service is to help enhance school systems, to maximise a whole-school approach to creating school environments that are inclusive, flexible and responsive to the needs of all and to build school capability to provide evidence-informed prevention and early intervention support as part of the Continuum of Support framework.
On December 12, 2024, the department published the "Understanding Behaviours of Concern and Responding to Crisis Situations in Schools" guidelines.
“Behaviours of concern” are defined in the guidelines as “behaviours that indicate a risk to the safety or wellbeing of the people who exhibit them or to others”.
The guidelines have been developed to address uncertainty for staff on how to respond when facing crisis situation where there are concerns regarding physical safety. They focus on creating inclusive environments which can respond to need and build on good practice including prevention and de-escalation.
Development of the guidelines has been informed by evidence showing that whole school positive behavioural approaches and early and ongoing engagement with the school community, including parents/guardians, are necessary for the development of effective school policy and practice.
The guidelines place a strong focus on prevention and early intervention strategies for the management of crisis situations in which physical intervention may be employed only as the last part of a comprehensive, positive, and planned behavioural approach by the school.
In developing the guidelines they were subject to an extensive consultation process with education stakeholders and advocacy groups. In addition, the Guidelines and the attendant training programme were subject to trials in special schools. In that regard, the Department has taken account of feedback provided in the development of the guidelines.
A range of training opportunities is available to schools through the National Council for Special Education to support their engagement with the guidelines and with the broader issue of student behaviour.
The NCSE recently launched Relate, a comprehensive resource to support behaviour using neurodiversity affirming approaches. This resource is accompanied by a full breadth of training supports from the NCSE Behaviour and Wellbeing team, including in person visits, sustained support to special schools, the behaviour for learning programme for post primary schools, and in person and sustained support in special classes and primary schools.
There are a number of EPV approved summer courses in behaviour this year for primary and special schoolteachers and a programme of learning for whole staff sessions in late August. There are weekly behaviour training opportunities throughout the year on the NCSE teacher professional learning calendar, as well as many communities of practice facilitated by NCSE Advisors. The NCSE funded SNA course has been updated to provide Relate training to SNAs and there is a programme of learning available to schools who wish to use their Croke Park hours to engage in whole staff learning around behaviour, regulation and trauma informed practices.
Furthermore, a range of guidance is available for schools in relation to behaviour. The Department of Education published Autism Guidance in 2022 which contains information on behaviours. Tusla's Educational Welfare Service has published guidelines for schools on Codes of Behaviour.
My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to achieve their full potential.
