Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 July 2024
293. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education the number of psychologists currently employed by NEPS; the number of sanctioned psychologist posts in NEPS; the estimated full-year cost of running NEPS; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28852/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe NEPS service provides access for all schools to:
• Psychological support in the event of a Critical Incident,
• A Casework Service for individual children 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 and,
• Ongoing access to advice and support for schools.
The number of educational psychologists currently employed in NEPS stands at 228 whole time equivalents across eight regions. This is the highest number employed in NEPS since it was established. NEPS has sanction for 271 whole time equivalent posts. Since the start of the 2023/24 school year, the NEPS service has expanded to all special schools, which is hugely important given the increased support needed for children in these settings.
The budget allocation for NEPS in 2024 is 32.3m and this allocation covers both pay and non-pay costs. A further €5m has also been allocated for the Counselling in Primary Schools Pilot.
Where schools do not have an assigned psychologist due to a vacancy, a psychologist from the local NEPS team undertakes the role of advisory psychologist to respond to queries that the school may have. Such schools continue to have access to critical incident response, advisory support, and support and development training delivered by their local NEPS team. Individual assessments for students in these schools are available via the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments (SCPA).
In relation to the recruitment of educational psychologists, the Department has been exploring opportunities to increase the numbers of suitably qualified staff. This will strengthen the response to the educational psychological needs of children in recognised primary and post-primary schools across the country. Since January 2023, NEPS has supported bursaries for Trainee Educational Psychologists who are enrolled in the University College Dublin Professional Doctorate in Educational Psychology and Mary Immaculate College Limerick’s Professional Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology. Those in receipt of a bursary commit to joining NEPS upon graduation. There are over 60 Trainee Educational Psychologists in receipt of a bursary who are expected to join NEPS upon graduation, with an additional 14 to be bursaried from September 2024, bringing the total to 74.
Additionally, the Public Appointments Service commenced a recruitment campaign for Educational Psychologists at the end of 2023. Interviews have taken place and panels now established. The Department is actively engaging with PAS to maximise the numbers of psychologists being recruited.
In addition to the service outlined above, NEPS is leading on the Counselling in Primary Schools Pilot. The pilot has two Strands. Strand 1 is the provision of one-to-one counselling to support a small number of children in all primary schools in counties Cavan, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan and Tipperary. Strand 2 of the pilot is the establishment of a new type of support to schools from Education Wellbeing Teams and the introduction of Education Wellbeing Practitioners to support clusters of schools in Cork, Carlow, Dublin 7 and Dublin 16.
