Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to address the House. It is important to acknowledge the challenges faced by young people with special educational needs, SEN, and their families at this time, as well as the staff who support them. These students have been at the heart of our commitment to ensuring that in-person special education could continue in some form during the current restrictions for those who need it. We know that distance learning does not work for all, as is shown by international evidence. We also know that previous school closures impacted many young people with special educational needs, causing regression and the loss of key skills.

Recent weeks have seen consistent engagement, as the Minister noted, with education partners including teachers and SNA unions. Furthermore, intensive engagement continued following the initial pause requested by stakeholders. This built on the significant collaboration that has taken place with stakeholders throughout this pandemic, including weekly meetings involving education stakeholders. Through discussions with primary and special education stakeholders, it had been hoped that a shared objective to support children with SEN in returning to in-school learning could be reached.

The Department has listened closely to the issues raised by trade unions and school management bodies. These included requests for clear messaging on public health guidance to be given directly to their members by public health specialists and temporary arrangements during the current phase of reopening for high-risk staff and those experiencing childcare difficulties. In response, the Department set out a proposal for how it would address these concerns, including greater work flexibility and distance working for high-risk and pregnant teachers and SNAs. These temporary arrangements were possible only due to the significant reduction in the number of children on site under the proposed phased reopening.

A health-education webinar that had significant attendance by front-line education staff was hosted by the Department at the request of unions and partners and was attended by the deputy chief medical officer, Dr. Ronan Glynn, and senior public health consultants, Dr. Abigail Collins and Dr. Kevin Kelleher. The purpose of this webinar was to provide clarity on the prevailing health advice and answer questions from the participants. It was reaffirmed clearly that schools with risk-mitigation measures in place provide a safe environment for staff and students. While the general advice is that people should stay at home, this does not apply to workers providing an essential service for priority groups such as special needs children. Teachers and SNAs are essential workers.

At all stages the Department worked to provide assurances where they were sought. We provided guidance on how special schools can operate at 50% capacity to offer these students a return to learning, knowing that the vast majority of these students cannot engage with remote learning. We provided guidance and flexibility in respect of staff members who are at high risk of Covid-19 to ensure their safety. We put in place flexibility for schools to manage this situation and to return to in-person learning over the coming days, to organise and manage their staffing in this context. This was part of an effort to support in-school provision for just over 18,000 children with SEN, who constitute just 4% of those who would attend during a full reopening.

Many schools in the North and Britain are providing in-person teaching to children with special educational needs and it is very regrettable that a similar outcome cannot be achieved here. All parties have signalled a willingness to continue discussions. We acknowledge there are concerns but it is also important to listen to the public health advice and what the doctors are telling us. In the interim, as I highlighted last week, it is vital that education for students with SEN is supported as much as possible. This includes those students with additional needs in mainstream classes throughout the State. Their needs must also be acknowledged and supported at this time.

I want to restate some of the new additional supports and to offer assurances of what will remain in place as discussions continue. It is important to reiterate, however, that no plan B will ever be as effective as in-school, in-person education for students with additional needs. This is ultimately what we want to return to. The Department's Covid-19 guidance to schools is focused on maintaining the continuity of teaching and learning for students able to engage with online learning. These documents were first issued to schools in spring 2020 and were subsequently updated and agreed to with stakeholders later last year to reflect the experience and feedback of staff and students.

The guidance we issued two weeks ago incorporates these updates, which have been brought together into one dedicated guidance document for schools and families supporting students with additional needs. Some of the themes in the documents include the role of schools and teachers in engaging with pupils with SEN, teachers and school leaders working to support pupils with SEN, keeping in touch with parents and guardians, keeping pupils with SEN safe in the distance learning environment, and resources for teachers. The guidance also provides information on the role of class teachers, special education teachers and SNAs.

For special classes at primary level, the guidance makes clear that class teachers should phone parents three times per week and have daily phone engagement with pupils, while SNAs should have twice-daily engagement with parents to support them in developing and maintaining the child's schedule. For special classes at post-primary level, the guidance sets out that the SEN co-ordinators should be in daily contact with special class students in order that programmes of work, individual timetables and structures are planned collaboratively with parents. For students with SEN in mainstream classes, guidance indicates that at primary level the special education teacher should be the nominated school liaison who will engage with the parents by phone twice per week. Currently, more than 13,550 special education teachers are allocated to mainstream schools, supporting the additional learning needs of pupils. The teacher should also have prepared an at-home support plan and every Friday will host a familiar social skills board game using online technology. This support is in addition to the support of the mainstream class teacher, who provides for all pupils in his or her class.

At post-primary level, the subject teacher will continue to have overall responsibility for differentiating tasks to match the learning needs of students with SEN. The output will be reviewed and regular feedback provided to parents at agreed times. SEN co-ordinators will also have regular communication and engagement with students on their caseload.

SNAs will also engage with parents and students as a liaison between home and school as well as supporting the delivery of the education to the students. Class teachers will also work with SEN co-ordinators and the pastoral care teams to support an integrated whole-school approach to students with SEN. Details of support and advice for schools regarding the delivery of distance learning is available through the Department's support services and agencies, including for those pupils with special educational needs. Schools that have established their first autism spectrum disorder, ASD, special class were assigned a link adviser during the four-day training course in September and October of last year. These advisers remained assigned to these classes and are available to offer support and advice to the special class teacher. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is also providing support to parents and teachers through dedicated helplines. These phone lines are operated daily and offer advice and contact with local special educational needs organisers, SENO. The NCSE has also developed a suite of short videos for teachers and still has its visiting teacher service. The Department's inspectorate is also resolved to engage closely with schools that cater for students with additional needs to ensure the full supports are being provided effectively.

I understand the frustration and fears of parents and families with children with additional needs currently. They want their children to be in school with their teachers, SNAs and friends. At school, they will be in a regular routine and be happier and healthier in a holistic way. Therefore, the Government's commitment to this area has been clear from the start. We had the summer provision programme last year that was available for up to 24,000 students with SEN, which included those with Down's syndrome in post-primary school and preschool for the first time. Following this, we had a dedicated financial package of almost half €0.5 billion to assist the schools to get back.

I will conclude by assuring the House that every effort is being made, as the Minister, Deputy Foley said, to resolve matters in a collaborative way so children can return to soon as safely as possible. We are committed to doing whatever it takes to support students with additional needs at this time.

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