Mr. Andy Pike:

The schools inclusion model is being piloted in approximately 75 schools in south Dublin and Kildare. The pilot has a little way to go before it is evaluated. The situation with Covid-19 may make that evaluation a little bit more difficult but we see no reason that the essential provision of additional therapy supports cannot continue to be targeted at those students who would benefit from same. The onset of the pandemic delayed the extension of the schools inclusion model beyond those 75 schools. What we have been left with is a decision to freeze mainstream SNA allocations this year.

That will present problems for schools being able to deploy staff to meet the needs of children who are presenting with additional care needs in the absence of a formal assessment by the NCSE. This front-loading approach is very new. We anticipate some problems whereby SNAs who had previously been allocated to specific students may be asked to work more generally with students who are assessed as having additional care needs. It is very early days. At the moment, SNAs are focusing more on how to keep students engaged, ensuring they are settling in following the return to schools and making up for some of the deficits in the Department's provision of advice on basic things like carrying out intimate care and infection control.

We will wait to see the evaluation on the school inclusion model, which is something Fórsa would support.