Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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123. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if an administrative deputy principal will be appointed in all special schools with eight teachers which equates to a minimum staff of 32 in view of the fact that mainstream national schools with five or more special classes and no specified enrolment number can be allocated an administrative deputy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52419/18]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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131. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures he will take to tackle the high levels of absenteeism among staff due to the lack of support available in special schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52483/18]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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132. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to resolve the inconsistency in the way in which the allocation of part-time specialist teachers and or hours are sanctioned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52484/18]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 123, 131 and 132 together.

The recruitment, appointment and deployment of teaching and SNA staff is a matter for the individual school authority.

The managerial authority of a school may employ a substitute to replace a teacher and SNA absent on an approved absence including certified illness and maternity leave.

In order to ease the situation reported of some schools experiencing difficulties in finding substitute teachers, in the last school year I suspended the limits that teachers on career break can work as substitutes. Schools were also reminded that, in considering career break applications, the needs of pupils should take precedence and they must take account of the availability of appropriate qualified replacement teachers. Retiring teachers were also reminded that in order to remain eligible for employment in a state funded teaching post for a period of more than five consecutive days, a teacher must maintain registration with the Teaching Council.

Earlier this year my Department established the Steering Group on Teacher Supply. The Group is considering the issues that impact on teacher supply, including: initial teacher education policy, provision, funding and support; data/research requirements; policies and arrangements for schools and teachers that impact on teacher mobility/supply; and promotion of the teaching profession. In undertaking its task, the Group is cognisant of the requirement that all persons wishing to teach in recognised schools must meet the professional registration standards and criteria set by the Teaching Council, which is the professional regulatory body for the teaching profession.

A consultative forum was held on 8 November. Its purpose is to ensure that all stakeholders are kept aware of the measures being considered and implemented and to facilitate their input and participation. A number of regional focus groups are planned before end of 2018.

The Teacher Supply Action Plan was published on this day and it is an important step in an ongoing process to address teacher supply. Consultation and engagement across the various sectors is key to meeting the challenge and addressing issues currently being experienced in schools.

My Department’s Online Claims System (OLCS) is designed to enable schools to record all absences (Substitutable and Non Substitutable) for all Staff Members paid directly on my Departments payroll and to make claims for substitution in respect of teachers and special needs assistants.

The data input by schools, once validated, updates my Department’s Payroll and Personnel systems and issues payment directly to the substitute staff members concerned, if applicable.

The OLCS does not allow the entitlements under each leave type to be exceeded.

My Department has put in place an Occupational Health Strategy as a supportive resource for teachers and special needs assistants to promote their health in the workplace, with a focus primarily on prevention rather than cure. The Occupational Health Strategy comprises of the Employee Assistance and Well-being Programme and the Occupational Health Service.

The Occupational Health Service incorporates pre-employment health assessments, sickness absence management, assessments of medical fitness for work and ill health retirement assessments.

The Employee Assistance and Well-being Programme is a confidential service accessible by means of a free-phone telephone helpline available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, providing counselling on a range of personal health and well-being issues given by qualified clinicians. Up to 6 face-to-face counselling sessions are available to provide supportive and solution-focused care based on an individual’s clinical needs. The telephone service also provides specialist information, support and advice in relation to family, financial, legal, work-related and consumer information services as well as providing management support

The School Authority, as employer, has a duty under Section 8 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 to “ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare at work of his or her employees”. The Occupational Health Service (OHS) is in place to assist the employer in carrying out this duty. The employer must therefore refer the teacher/SNA to the OHS, for the purpose of an independent assessment, where reasonable concerns exist as to the capacity of the teacher/SNA to undertake his/her duties in a manner that is safe for both the teacher/SNA and students. The OHS Provider, as contracted by the Department, is the sole recognised provider of independent medical advice for teachers/SNAs and employers. It is a requirement of the Sick Leave Scheme that all participants and beneficiaries of that Scheme abide by the medical assessment of the OHS.

NCSE’s Support Service has brought under its control the Special Education Support Service (SESS), the National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS) and the Visiting Teacher Service for children who are deaf/hard of hearing and for children who are blind/visually impaired (VTSVHI). The Support Service provides advice and support to schools on the education and inclusion of students with special educational needs, providing in-school support for teachers, continuing professional development for teachers and support to schools on the management of challenging behaviour. It also enhances the multi-disciplinary capacity of the education system through providing access to expert knowledge in areas such as autism, speech and language therapy and challenging behaviour.

With regard to staffing in special schools, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for determining the appropriate staffing levels in relation to the support of pupils with special educational needs in special schools, in accordance with the policies of my Department.

Enhanced pupil teacher and SNA ratios are provided to special schools to support them in dealing with pupils' educational and care needs.

Since 2012, special schools are provided with teaching staff on the basis of individual pupil profiles and disability categories of those pupils, as opposed to being based principally on school designation, in accordance with my Department's Circular 0042/2011. Special school staffing allocations are reviewed and updated each year by the NCSE and schools are staffed on the basis of each year’s current school enrolments.

In addition, some special schools are in receipt of part-time specialist teaching hours which were originally allocated to provide for specialist subjects for post primary aged students. The provision has been maintained by the special schools in receipt of same, but no expansion of the provision has been provided for in recent years.

In Budget 2019, it was announced that for the school year 2019/2020, funding will be provided for administrative deputy principal posts in special schools that have a principal and 15 class teachers or more. This change is in recognition of the additional administrative needs of special schools

I have recently requested the NCSE to undertake policy advice on the educational provision that should be in place for students educated in special schools and classes and make recommendations on the provision required to enable students in special schools and classes achieve better outcomes.

The NCSE have been asked to complete and submit it’s report to the Minister not later than June 2020. There will be no change to the staffing arrangements currently in place in special schools, pending the receipt of this policy advice.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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124. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to remedy a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52420/18]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for determining the appropriate staffing levels in relation to the support of pupils with special educational needs in special schools, in accordance with the policies of my Department.

Since 2012, special schools are provided with teaching staff on the basis of the pupil population and the disability categorisations of those pupils, as opposed to being based principally on school designation, in accordance with my Department's Circular 0042/2011. Special school staffing allocations  are reviewed and updated each year by the NCSE and schools are staffed on the basis of each year’s current school enrolments.  

In Budget 2019, it was announced that for the school year 2019/2020, funding will be provided for administrative deputy principal posts in special schools that have a principal and 15 class teachers or more. This change is in recognition of the additional administrative needs of special schools which operate on substantially reduced pupil teacher ratios.

Special Education Teachers (previously Resource and Learning Support Teachers) are provided under the Special Education Teaching allocation model, introduced in mainstream primary and post primary schools for the 2017/2018 school year, providing additional teaching support to pupils with special educational needs. Special Schools are not included under this model, as their staffing is provided as outlined above.

The Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) Scheme is a school-based intervention provided to DEIS schools to address the needs of all pupils/families at risk of educational disadvantage through acknowledging and developing the role of the parent as prime educator. The role of the HSCL Coordinator is to work primarily with the salient adults in the child’s life, in order to empower them, so that they can better support their children to attend school, participate in education and develop positive attitudes to life-long learning. Central to the HSCL initiative, is the identification of educational needs and the provision of a tailored and proportionate response to those needs, through a range of interventions, which are evidence-based, focused and structured.

While the HSCL scheme is funded by my Department, Tusla the Child and Family Agency, which is the dedicated state agency responsible for improving well-being and outcomes for children has responsibility for the management of the HSCL Scheme.

With enhanced pupil teacher and SNA ratios provided to special schools to support them in dealing with pupils' educational and care needs, teaching staff typically have extensive engagement with parents, HSE multi-disciplinary teams and the NCSE.

In addition to planning and coordinating the provision of education and support services to children with special educational needs, each NCSE SENO works in an assigned local area with parents, schools, teachers, psychologists, health professionals and other staff who are involved in the provision of services in that area for children with special educational needs.

In dealing with parents of children with special educational needs, SENOs will keep parents informed of what resourcing decisions are being made on their child’s behalf. The SENO will also discuss any concerns that parents have about the present or future educational needs of their child. SENOs recognise that parents/guardians are the key stakeholders with regard to the child and are committed to forging good relationships with parents and parent groups. The SENO is available to parents to discuss any issues they have and to offer support and expertise. SENOs are also available to give presentations to groups of parents, advocacy groups etc.

I have recently requested the NCSE to undertake policy advice on the educational provision that should be in place for students educated in special schools and classes and make recommendations on the provision required to enable students in special schools and classes achieve better outcomes.

The NCSE have been asked to complete and submit it’s report to the Minister not later than June 2020.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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125. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration will be given to allocating full-time nursing support to special schools with pupils with complex medical needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52421/18]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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The Comprehensive Review of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme which set out to ensure that the Scheme is achieving the best outcomes possible for children with special educational needs was published by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) on 30 May 2018.  

The Review contains 13 recommendations, one of which is the provision of nursing support for students with complex medical needs. 

In response to the Review, I have undertaken to develop proposals for the implementation of the NCSE's recommendations and to return to Government, following engagement with the Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform and Health, with a proposed implementation plan to include a governance and accountability framework, and detailed costings of proposals.

I expect to bring proposals for implementation of the Review's recommendations to Government shortly.