28 November 2006

Minister commends teachers' work with autistic children

Education Minister, Maria Eagle, has today praised the work and dedication of teachers who work with children with autism.

The Minister was speaking at the launch of the ‘Make School Make Sense’ campaign, organised by the National Autistic Society, in Belfast.

The campaign aims to ensure that autistic children are taught at a school suitable for their individual needs and by appropriately trained teachers.

Speaking at the event, the Education Minister said: “I genuinely appreciate the work that our teachers put in to give children with special needs the best possible start in life.

“Every child is special, every child has different abilities and interests and schools and teachers have the power to make an enormous difference to each of their lives.”

The Northern Ireland Task Group on Autism, which reported in 2002, listed a number of ways in which the education sector could improve provision for children on the autistic spectrum.

One of its key recommendations was that they need to be diagnosed at as early a stage as possible, to help schools tackle the problem effectively.

During her visit Maria Eagle highlighted the work that had been done in recent years to tackle the issues raised by the report. She said: “We are all agreed that the sooner we can identify the problem and put in place appropriate help, the better the chance of being able to make a difference to the life of the child.

“I am particularly pleased that the additional £7.4m committed by Government since 2003 to meet the needs of children with autism is making a real difference.

“Some of this money is going on teacher training, to help them understand how to help the child with special needs.”

The Minister also referred to the Review of Special Education and Inclusion which the Department is undertaking and said: “This Review will examine how we provide quality education provision whilst also ensuring equality of access to all. It will help us prepare teachers to face the twin challenges of diversity and inclusion.

“By equipping teachers with the relevant skills, we can ensure they have the mix of commitment and knowledge to help every child in their care reach their full potential, regardless of their abilities or needs.”

The Minister concluded by commending the work of voluntary groups.

She said: “I am also here today to lend my support to the work undertaken in launching the campaign, 'Make School Make Sense'. I consider it vital that we, in Government, have the support of voluntary organisations, to help us achieve our aim of improving services and provision for all children with special educational needs.”

(EF)