Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

94. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the criteria for special needs assistants, SNA, so that children with high functioning autism who may have difficulty with sensory and audio processing and difficulty with social skills can obtain SNA help in order to reach their full potential; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18856/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) is responsible for processing applications from schools for special needs assistants (SNA) supports. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in making recommendations for support.

The criteria for the provision of SNA support are set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014, which is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie.

The Circular states that the purpose of the SNA scheme is to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs.

The scheme provides for the allocation of a quantum of SNA support to schools, taking into account the assessed care needs of individual children with disabilities, or severe medical needs. The scheme is not limited only to children who have been assessed as having specified categories of disability.

DES Circular 30/2014 provides that SNA support may be allocated, where necessary, to provide pupils with assistance with severe communication difficulties, including enabling curriculum access for pupils with physical disabilities or sensory needs and those with significant, and identified social and emotional difficulties.

Schools may therefore make applications for SNA support to the NCSE for children who have assessed significant care needs which fulfil such criteria. Schools who wish to make applications for SNA support should apply to the NCSE.

All schools have the contact details of their local SENO, while parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available the NCSE website www.ncse.ie.

I am asking the NCSE to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the SNA scheme in order to provide better outcomes for students with special needs and to ensure that we are making the best additional investment for children with special educational needs.