Catherine Connolly
Ceist:70. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the timeline for the operation of the Special Education Appeals Board; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24134/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 29 May 2024
Ceisteanna (70)
Freagraí scríofa
I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and wish to advise you of the following:
The Special Education Appeals Board was established within the EPSEN (Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs) Act 2004.
The EPSEN Act 2004 provides for the education of children aged under 18 years with special educational needs. The EPSEN Act 2004, is now in place for more than 20 years and there have been many significant changes and developments to policy relating to the education of children with special needs in that time. A few sections of the EPSEN Act have not been commenced, one of which would have conferred a statutory entitlement to an independent appeals process.
A review of the EPSEN Act 2004 was initiated by my predecessor Minister Josepha Madigan in December 2021 to modernise and reflect the experiences of students, staff and families. The review process includes extensive stakeholder engagement, including parents, educators, advocacy groups, and experts in special education.
Both commenced and uncommenced sections have been thoroughly considered to ensure a robust legislative foundation. The review process will culminate in a comprehensive report detailing all findings.
Online surveys, launched in November 2022, garnered over 28,000 responses, and qualitative analysis of open submissions has been used as the basis for the second stage of consultation, the focus group stage.
A variety of focus group methods are being employed, including mixed focus groups, mosaic-style engagement with children with special educational needs, and discussions with young adults who have experienced the special educational need model of education. The focus groups are due to conclude shortly. The report shall then be prepared for consideration.
The EPSEN Review Steering Group and Advisory Group will convene in June to analyse the extensive data and propose recommendations. Once the report is finalised, we will hold an open day in September to gather final feedback from all stakeholders. This review will serve as the foundation for updating the EPSEN Act, to ensure a solid legislative basis.
This significant review is intended to be concluded in third/fourth quarter of 2024, culminating in a comprehensive report that will encompass an analysis of stakeholder and public engagement, feedback from focus groups and open policy day, academic review paper, NCSE policy advice, evidence-based research and conclusions and recommendations.