241. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide guidance to the parents of a child with additional needs who is experiencing difficulties in their current school placement (details supplied); the options open to the parents to engage with the school in the best interests of the child; and the school's responsibility and duty of care in such a case. [66368/26]

This government is fully committed to supporting students with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs. It does so through a network of special educational needs organisers (SENOs).

It is important to note, that the Department of Education and Youth does not have a role in investigating or responding to parental complaints of this nature as it is not directly involved in the day-to-day management of schools. The Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school and the department, or the Inspectorate does not have the power to instruct schools to follow a particular course of direction with regard to individual complaints. The department’s role in such circumstances is to clarify how complaints against a school or a member of its staff may be progressed.

In this regard, the agreed procedures in place at school level should be used and the complaint should be directed to the school principal in the first instance and then to the Board of Management, if necessary. If the family remain dissatisfied after they have brought their concern to the attention of the school’s board of management, they may write to the school patron/trustee.

Parents may also refer a complaint to The Office of the Ombudsman for Children who may independently investigate complaints about schools recognised by the Department of Education and Youth, provided the parent has firstly and fully followed the school's complaints procedures.

Local SENOs remain available to assist and advise the parents of children with special educational needs.

My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to achieve their full potential.