A revised assessment of need process for schools has been announced in Ireland. This revised process has been developed on foot of a recent High Court judgement which found that teachers have the appropriate expertise to be nominated by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to assess a child’s educational needs. 

The overall responsibility for the assessment of needs process for children rests with the HSE and teachers’ assessments of a child’s educational needs form only one part of the process. The revised process has been developed following a detailed review of the High Court judgement to ensure that any updated process would comply with the findings of the Court. The department and the NSCE have engaged extensively with education stakeholders to outline how the revised process can meet both the educational needs of the children concerned and the requirements to comply with the Disability Act 2005. 

The department and NCSE have put in place a range of measures to support schools who are undertaking the educational component of assessment of need. This includes guidance documents and email and phone support. In cases where schools experience a larger number of assessment of need referrals, additional assessment of need support hours will be allocated to those schools. These will be provided automatically to the schools affected each quarter in arrears.  

Source: Eurydice Unit Ireland