Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 85: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has yet reviewed the proposed withdrawal of special needs assistants posts from a special needs school (details supplied) in County Cork; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the SNAs concerned have already had their formal employment terminated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21111/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating 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 which now includes a requirement for them to have regard to the overall cap on numbers.

In relation to the school referred to by the Deputy, which is a special school for children with Autism, I understand that this school currently has an enrolment of 24 pupils with staffing of a Principal and 5 mainstream class teachers as well as 16 SNAs.

This is a total of 22 staff catering for the needs of 24 pupils in the school for the current school year. This equates to an SNA to pupil ratio of 1 SNA per 1.5 pupils in the school and an overall adult to pupil ratio of 1 adult per 1.1 pupils in the school.

This is an exceptionally high level of support and considerably in excess of the current recommended SNA ratio for Special Class groups, as outlined in Department of Education and Skills Circular 0038/10, which is a ratio of 2 SNAs per special class group of 6 children, for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Schools have been advised to make applications to the NCSE for resource teaching and SNA support for the 2012/13 school year by 16th March, 2012. Schools will subsequently be advised by the NCSE of their allocation for the 2012/13 school year, based on the number of valid applications received and in the case of SNA support, the extent of the care needs of qualifying children.

In considering applications for SNA support for the new school year, the NCSE will take into account the individual care needs of all qualifying children, supports freed up due to any school leavers, and the identified care needs of newly enrolled children with special educational needs.

The final SNA allocation for the school is question will not be known until all applications, including applications for any new entrants, are submitted for the coming school year. I understand the NCSE is liaising with the school in question in this regard.

The NCSE will advise the school by late May/early June of their SNA allocation for the 2012/13 school year.