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Speech and language, occupational therapies to start in 45 special schools in September
The roll-out of a new education therapy service in special schools will begin with the introduction of up to 90 therapists to 45 schools this September, the minister for education has pledged.
The detail is included in a new Education Plan for 2025, published by Helen McEntee and minister of state for special education Michael Moynihan, which outlines the Department of Education's intentions to progress several crucial policies across the education system.
Access to most in-school therapies, such as speech and language therapy, and occupational therapy, was severely curtailed during 2020 when therapists were removed from schools.
As highlighted previously by the Irish Examiner, parents and teaching staff at special schools warned children were missing out on their education without these essential supports.
Overlapping with the closure of schools during the pandemic, the HSE's Progressing Disabilities Services model for children and young people saw services reconfigured and clinicians relocated from their special schools and onto Children's Disability Network Teams.
These teams, which are managed by the HSE and voluntary disability organisations, face their own set of challenges, including significant staff vacancies and increasing referrals.
Responsibility in this area is also split, with some overlap between departments, different agencies, and Government ministers, mainly the HSE, the Department of Disability and the Department of Education.
With Government approval to establish a new Education Therapy Service secured, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is expected now to commence work on its rollout, with an aim to provide 90 therapists to work in 45 special schools in the next school year.
The new posts will be initially for occupational therapists and speech and language therapists, and a further roll-out to other special schools is expected to be announced for the 2026/27 school year.
While the new therapy service will commence initially in special schools, it is intended that it will roll out down the line in special classes and mainstream schools.
The NCSE is expected to now commence recruitment, and the same terms and conditions will be applied for staff as HSE therapists.
Other policies listed in the Education Plan 2025 include undertaking an initial review of the costs of insurance in schools and circumstances around them, as well as developing a teacher workforce plan and publishing a new Deis plan for disadvantaged schools.
A new Deis model was rolled out in 2022 following an expansion of the scheme.
The Education Plan 2025 also pledges to launch a national survey of all primary school parents, and pre-school parents, to determine preferences for school type.
This includes questions on teaching through Irish and multi-denominational patronage, and is intended to inform school planning in the coming years.
Ms McEntee said she was "eager" to advance the development of the Education Therapy Service.
"This will be transformative for not just children receiving therapies in school, but for how it will support the wider school community too.
"Ultimately, I believe, this will also ease the strain and stress that parents can feel in accessing therapy support."
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