AQO 1948/11-15
Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim
Tabled Date: 03/05/2012
Answered On Date: 15/05/2012
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Education what support his Department provides for children with autism.
Answer:
My priority is to ensure that every child, including those with autism, receives a high quality education and to that end I am continuing to put in place a range of policies aimed at raising standards for all pupils, including the school improvement policy and the Review of Special Educational Needs and Inclusion. The Review of Special Educational Needs and Inclusion prioritises the focus on early identification of needs and early intervention by schools, supported by the Education and Library Boards, and improved collaboration between health and education bodies to support schools in meeting the needs of their pupils. Education and Library Boards have dedicated Autistic Spectrum Disorder Support Teams providing tailored support to match the individual needs of each child in order to ensure that each child can reach his or her full potential; There has been significant investment by my Department in support for those with autism since the publication of the Task Group Report on Autism in 2002 including a range of autism resources to schools. In addition the new Autism Act places a statutory duty on the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to prepare an autism strategy in conjunction with all other Departments. My officials are working closely with DHSSPS officials in developing this strategy Furthermore the Middletown Centre for Autism continues to provide support to schools, families and educational professionals.
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