Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 395: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if all special needs assistants receive specific training in techniques of restraint and containment of pupils in primary school to prevent them from injuring themselves or others or from destroying school property; and, if so, if she will describe the extent of that training. [21832/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Special Needs Assistants are recruited specifically to assist in the care of pupils with special educational needs in an educational context. They may be appointed to a special school or a mainstream school in situations where a pupil has a significant medical need for such assistance, a significant impairment of physical or sensory function or where their behaviour is such that they are a danger to themselves or to other pupils.

The use of restraint techniques and containment for pupils with special educational needs is carried out within the context of a school's policies and procedures, as outlined in the school's Code of Behaviour. In such cases, the restraint techniques and containment are referred to as Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI). As the great majority of pupils who are allocated Special Needs Assistants do not present with difficulties that constitute a danger to either themselves or others, most Special Needs Assistants do not need training in TCI. However, arrangements are made to provide this training once a need for it has been identified by a particular school.

The Special Education Support Service (SESS), which my Department established in September of 2003 to provide training for teachers of pupils with special educational needs, has received applications for funding to support whole-school staff training in TCI. Special Needs Assistants may attend this training if the Principal and the Board of Management of the school consider that their inclusion is appropriate. It is important to note that the SESS continues to highlight that SNAs work at all times under the direction of the class teacher.

To date, SESS has funded 8 schools for this type of training in the context of whole-staff training. In total, these schools comprise 88 teachers and 110 SNAs. This summer, SESS will fund 18 whole-staff training courses on TCI delivered by a number of providers. Again, the attendance of the SNAs at these courses is a matter for the Principal and the Board of Management of the schools in question.