Resourcing Schools to Address Educational Disadvantage

The OECD Review of Resourcing Schools to Address Educational Disadvantage in Ireland (available on gov.ie) found that the Irish education system demonstrates strong performance and equity across primary and post-primary levels.

However, it also notes that important differences in outcomes persist between DEIS and non-DEIS schools, for children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and Travellers and Roma.

The report sets a number of recommendations to address these differences and support children and young people experiencing educational disadvantage.

The Department of Education are currently working with other government departments and agencies, the education partners, and stakeholders across the education sector to develop tangible actions informed by the recommendations.

Two measures informed by the recommendations of the review have already been announced:

• Funding for 12 Community Link Worker roles to support Traveller and Roma children and young people and those most at risk of educational disadvantage

• Extension of Strand 1 of the Counselling in Primary Schools Pilot to 61 urban DEIS primary schools in Tallaght, Clondalkin, Finglas, Ballymun and Darndale

On October 22nd the Department held a stakeholder event to consider the findings and recommendations from this report in order to develop tangible actions to have a positive impact on education for children and young people experiencing disadvantage.

This information session and workshop event provided an opportunity for education stakeholders to be involved in the policy development process.

It provided the Department with the opportunity to learn from the knowledge and experience of over 100 stakeholders who were in attendance.

This workshop will add to the consultations and research that the Department have carried out over the past year on resourcing schools to address educational disadvantage.

This event included:

• A presentation and Q and A with Dr. Lucie Cerna, Project Lead of the OECD Education for Inclusive Societies project

• A presentation from Elizabeth Canavan, Assistant Secretary, Social Policy and Public Service Reform, Department of the Taoiseach

• An overview of the findings from consultations held by the Department with over 250 school leaders, teachers and children and young people.

• The opportunity to workshop, with policy makers, actions to address educational disadvantage.

Please see a selection of slides below that were presented on the day.