I propose to take Questions Nos. 1243 and 1253 together.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the statutory body responsible for the provision of special education and allocating supports for students with special educational needs.
A range of guidance is available for schools in relation to the management of student behaviour.
Tusla’s Educational Welfare Service has published guidelines for schools on Codes of Behaviour which all schools are required by law to have in place. The Department published the "Understanding Behaviours of Concern and Responding to Crisis Situations in Schools" guidelines. These guidelines were developed in response to an identified need for clearer guidance for schools. They aim to enhance schools' understanding of behaviours of concern and support them in effectively managing crisis situations. The guidelines will support schools to develop a whole school positive approach to behaviours with particular emphasis on prevention, early intervention and de-escalation.
The NCSE provides supports to teachers and schools in a way that builds capacity, supports the inclusion of all children, including students with special educational needs, at a whole school level. The NCSE continues to update current TPL courses and design new courses in response to the needs of teachers. Detailed information on the comprehensive programme of TPL seminars on a variety of special educational needs topics is published on the NCSE website.
The NCSE’s Relate programme is 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.
In 2023 Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) launched a five-year plan to improve school attendance. The plan is targeted and collaborative and one of the initiatives underway is the implementation of Anseo, a Multi-Dimensional Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MD-MTSS). The Anseo model facilitates schools to identify patterns of absenteeism at the student, class and whole school level and to develop nuanced and timely responses to drivers of school absenteeism. This helps schools respond in a timely and targeted way. Using the model enables school leadership to use school level attendance data to understand the shape of their attendance patterns and to plan appropriate interventions for all students.
Launched in May 2025 Anseo was initially trialled in four schools before being expanded to 62 schools for the 2025/26 school year. From the start of the 2026/27 school year Anseo will be further expanded to 151 additional schools providing support to develop effective and appropriate strategies to respond to the drivers of school absenteeism.
Following close engagement with special schools, and awareness of the challenges facing special schools additional measures have been introduced to support special schools. The extension of administrative deputy principal posts to all special schools has been instrumental in assisting principals with leadership and management functions and to support learning and parental and community engagement. My department is also working closely with the NCSE to further support special schools in relation to a range of issues relating to administration, curriculum and training.
Another significant initiative of this government is the Education Therapy Service. This new service which will be delivered by the NCSE building on its work previously completed through the School Inclusion Model (SIM) Educational Therapy Support Service (ETSS). It will ensure that students with the greatest level of need will receive the greatest level of support, through universal, targeted and individualised interventions provided by therapists in schools.
Where a board of management suspends a student from attendance at a school for a period or periods totalling not less than 20 school days in a school year, a parent/guardian can appeal that decision under Section 29(1) (b) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended) and an independent appeals committee will be appointed by the Minister for Education to consider the appeal.
A Section 29 appeal must be made no later than 42 calendar days from the date the school makes the decision to suspend once that decision brings the cumulative suspension to more than 20 school days. Information on the Section 29 appeals process for suspension and expulsions is available on the government website. The appeal may be lodged online with supporting documentation uploaded.
My department and the NCSE are committed to supporting schools and other stakeholders in 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.
