Disability Services

Monday, 11 September 2023

Questions (1446)

Alan Dillon

Question:

1446. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown per county on the current number of placements available for children with a disability that have access to the AIM programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38611/23]

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Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

In order for a child to Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) supports, they must be within the eligible age range for the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. All services providing ECCE can also provide services to children with disabilities. As such there are no disability "placements".

The goal of AIM is to empower Early Learning and Care (ELC) providers to deliver an inclusive preschool experience, ensuring that every eligible child can meaningfully participate in the ECCE programme and reap the benefits of quality early years care and education.

AIM is a child-centred model, involving seven levels of support, moving from the universal to the targeted, based on the needs of the child and the preschool service. It offers tailored, practical supports based on need and does not require a formal diagnosis of disability.

Applications for AIM for the 2023/24 programme opened in May this year. The AIM application process remains open year round. Applications for AIM targeted supports (Levels 4-7) are completed by the childcare service provider in collaboration with the child’s parent/guardian.

Details of the levels of support under AIM are provided below.

Universal supports (Levels 1-3)

Level 1	Aims to embed an inclusive culture in services, includes the national inclusion policy and guidelines for ECCE, the funding of the Leadership for Inclusion (LINC) training programme, the establishment of Inclusion Co-Ordinator (INCO) roles in ECCE settings.
Level 2	Involves provision of information for parents and providers on AIM, through the AIM.gov.ie website and information provided by County/City Childcare Committees.
Level 3	Recognises the requirement to continue to develop a qualified workforce that can confidently meet the needs of all children participating in the ECCE Programme. Supports include funding of training courses such as Hanen, Lámh and Sensory Processing E-Learning (SPEL).

Targeted supports (Levels 4-7)

Level 4	Addresses the needs of early learning and care practitioners to have timely access to advice and support from experts in early learning and care (and disability in particular) to assist them meet each child’s needs.
Level 5	Recognises that some children require specialised equipment, appliances, assistive technology and/or that some early learning and care settings may require minor structural alterations to ensure children with a disability can participate in the ECCE programme. Supports include grants for equipment and some minor capital building works.
Level 6	Provides access to therapeutic supports where they are critical to enable a child be enrolled, and fully participate, in the ECCE programme.
Level 7	Additional assistance in the pre-school room involves additional capitation for service providers where an application process has demonstrated that supports at Level 1-6 have not, or will not, by themselves, meet the child’s needs. Funding can be used by the provider to buy in additional support, or reduce the staff / child ratio, supporting the pre-school leader to ensure the child’s optimal participation.

Whilst there are no dedicated disability placements in mainstream services, it may be informative to provide the number if applications during the 22/23 programme call.

County	2022 Programme: Total ECCE Services benefitting	2022 Programme: Total Children benefitting	County	2023 Programme: Total Applications
Carlow	32	102	Carlow	134
Cavan	44	125	Cavan	168
Clare	82	188	Clare	228
Cork	319	905	Cork	1298
Donegal	90	243	Donegal	272
Dublin	597	1661	Dublin	2124
Galway	149	311	Galway	382
Kerry	80	220	Kerry	312
Kildare	121	380	Kildare	446
Kilkenny	57	155	Kilkenny	211
Laois	57	198	Laois	233
Leitrim	19	37	Leitrim	52
Limerick	121	388	Limerick	465
Longford	20	54	Longford	55
Louth	81	308	Louth	378
Mayo	86	185	Mayo	243
Meath	130	373	Meath	503
Monaghan	32	61	Monaghan	105
Offaly	50	141	Offaly	148
Roscommon	40	90	Roscommon	140
Sligo	26	71	Sligo	74
Tipperary	103	282	Tipperary	352
Waterford	62	164	Waterford	232
Westmeath	44	131	Westmeath	212
Wexford	84	240	Wexford	334
Wicklow	89	206	Wicklow	245
Grand Total	2615	7217	Grand Total	9346