Written answers

Tuesday, 5 July 2011

Department of Education and Skills

Special Educational Needs

9:00 pm

Photo of John McGuinnessJohn McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 286: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the serious concerns of the school community (details supplied) in Dublin 24 which is set to lose 50% of their special needs assistants in September; if he will appreciate the difficulties this will present for a school already under pressure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18864/11]

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. This now includes a requirement for the NCSE to have regard to an overall cap on the number of SNA posts.

The NCSE has issued a circular to all schools advising of the allocation process for the 2011/2012 school year. A key feature of the amended scheme will be to provide for an annual allocation of Special Needs Assistant support to eligible schools.

The NCSE asked schools to submit all applications for SNA support to them by 18th March, 2011 and are currently in the process of informing schools of their annual SNA allocation for the coming school year.

It should be noted that SNA allocations are not permanent, as the level of SNA support allocated to a school may be increased or decreased as pupils who qualify for SNA support enrol or leave a school. They are also decreased where a child's care needs may have diminished over time.

The qualifying criteria for the allocation of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support is outlined in my Department's Circular 07/02. The recruitment and deployment of SNAs within schools are matters for the individual Principal/Board of Management. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated. It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 287: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will supply details of all the pre-school, primary and post-primary autism-specific provision in the following areas Dublin 5, Dublin 13, Dublin 17, Howth, Portmarnock and Malahide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18867/11]

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports including the approval of special classes for autism. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.

All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.

I have arranged for the information requested by the Deputy to be forwarded to the NCSE for their direct reply.

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 288: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the reduction of the National Council Special Education allocation for special needs assistants for 2011-12 from 2 to 1 in the case of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 6; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18869/11]

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. This now includes a requirement for the NCSE to have regard to an overall cap on the number of SNA posts.

The NCSE has issued a circular to all schools advising of the allocation process for the 2011/2012 school year. A key feature of the amended scheme will be to provide for an annual allocation of Special Needs Assistant support to eligible schools.

The NCSE asked schools to submit all applications for SNA support to them by 18th March, 2011 and are currently in the process of informing schools of their annual SNA allocation for the coming school year.

It should be noted that SNA allocations are not permanent, as the level of SNA support allocated to a school may be increased or decreased as pupils who qualify for SNA support enrol or leave a school. They are also decreased where a child's care needs may have diminished over time.

The qualifying criteria for the allocation of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support is outlined in my Department's Circular 07/02. The recruitment and deployment of SNAs within schools are matters for the individual Principal/Board of Management. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated. It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 289: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he will take to equip teachers in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 6. [18870/11]

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department, either directly or through the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), provides for a range of supports in schools to enable them cater for students with special educational needs including additional teachers, Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) and specialist equipment. The precise model of provision made will depend on the pupil's assessed disability.

The SNA scheme provides additional supports to schools to enable them to support pupils with significant care needs. SNAs are allocated to schools by the NCSE through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs). The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. This now includes a requirement for the NCSE to have regard to an overall cap on the number of SNA posts.

The NCSE has issued a circular to all schools advising them of the allocation process for the 2011/2012 school year. A key feature of the amended scheme will be to provide for an annual allocation of Special Needs Assistant support to eligible schools.

The NCSE asked schools to submit all applications for SNA support to them by 18th March, 2011 and are currently in the process of informing schools of their annual SNA allocation for the coming school year.

I understand that the pupil referred to by the Deputy has been included as eligible for SNA support provision for the coming school year. All mainstream Primary schools have been allocated additional teaching resources under the General Allocation Model (GAM), introduced in September 2005 to cater for children with high incidence special educational needs. In addition, schools can apply to the NCSE for additional resource teaching supports for pupils with assessed low incidence special educational needs.

In relation to applications for individual resource teaching support, Circular 37/2011 provides information to schools regarding the arrangements which are being put in place for the 2011/12 school year.

The main elements of the arrangements outlined in the Circular are that for the coming 2011/12 school year, an allocation of 90% of valid identified resource teaching allocations will be made to schools, in the first instance, to provide schools with the majority of their allocation, while also preserving enough capacity to deal with late applications and ensure that the Department of Education and Skills can remain within Employment Control Framework obligations.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) have now notified schools of their allocations for the coming school year. Schools have also been asked to forward as soon as possible any outstanding applications, or additional outstanding materials to support incomplete applications, to the NCSE for consideration, but in any event by no later than 16th September 2011. Following consideration of all of the applications received, if the level of demand permits, the initial 90% allocation may be revisited and increased.

My Department also provides for special class and special school placements for students who have special educational needs such that they may need aspecial school/class placement. Health and Therapy support services are also provided for students in schools in some instances, by the Health Service Executive.

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