Assistant Secretary for the National Educational Psychological Service, Special Education, Social Inclusion and Early Years Education Policy

Responsibility at Assistant Secretary level for the following areas:

the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) psychologists work with both primary and post-primary schools and are concerned with learning, behaviour, social and emotional development
Special Education Section is responsible for the development of policy for children with special educational needs and the development of comprehensive, efficient and effective services for these children
Social Inclusion Unit is responsible for developing and promoting a co-ordinated department response to tackling educational disadvantage from pre-school through to second-level education (3 to 18 years)
the Early Years Education Policy Unit is co-located with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to ensure that policy developments in the early childhood sector are developed within an overall strategic policy framework for children