What Do We Know About Special Educational Needs? Evidence from Growing Up in Ireland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, Autumn 2012

Banks, Joanne and McCoy, Selina (2012) What Do We Know About Special Educational Needs? Evidence from Growing Up in Ireland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, Autumn 2012. UNSPECIFIED.

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Abstract

Despite the recent policy emphasis on educational inclusion little is known about children with special educational needs in Ireland. The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (2004) Act highlighted a commitment to inclusive education and in particular to increasing the number of students with special educational needs attending mainstream schools. While significant changes have taken place, crucial information has been lacking – including the numbers of children with special educational needs (SEN), their profile and how they fare in school. Based on Growing Up in Ireland data on nine year old children, this bulletin draws together three journal papers and a research report(1) to provide valuable insights into special educational needs in Irish primary schools. This research provides much needed evidence for policy decisions by focusing on the scale and prevalence of SEN, the characteristics of students identified with SEN and the social and academic experiences of these students in school.

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