Mr. Andy Pike:

I thank the Senator for her question. In a good school, SNAs are involved in staff meetings and are seen as part of a team wherever students with additional educational needs are studying. It can often be a multidisciplinary team because of the inputs necessary from allied health professions and others. In a good school, there is very much a team ethos where everyone is valued. However, in a school that is perhaps not quite so good, that is where we find the terms and conditions for SNAs militate against the SNA being respected, included or considered as a part of the team. That is part of the problem with the qualification. In the school, the teachers are all educated to a minimum of level 8, yet there is a huge disparity in the educational requirement for SNAs. Historically, from the start of the childcare assistants scheme, SNAs were seen as unskilled labour. That is still a problem that we see in a school that is not as good.