Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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175. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of pupils who have opted into the in-person supplementary programme to support the education and-or care needs of pupils with complex needs scheme; if the number of students availing of the programme is smaller; and the number of teachers and SNAs participating in the scheme. [10946/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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My Department put in place a supplementary programme to support the education and/or care needs of the estimated 23,000 pupils with complex needs enrolled in schools.

The pupils who will be eligible include:

- All pupils enrolled in special schools and special classes

- Pupils in mainstream schools who are accessing the highest level of the continuum of support (i.e. School Support Plus/for a Few). This will include pupils with Autism, Down syndrome, sensory impairments, and other disabilities who were identified for the summer programme of 2020.

- Pupils identified by their school as requiring the highest level of support at any given time. This will ensure that pupils presenting with exceptional needs due to the current school closures can participate in the scheme.

Participation in the programme is voluntary for families, teachers and SNAs and must be delivered in accordance with Public Health Advice.

The Department’s approach is intended to be flexible so as to maximise the number of pupils participating.

An allocation of a 5-hour per week home-based teaching or care support programme will be made available to eligible pupils. This allocation is intended to supplement (and not replace) the remote teaching provided by the pupil’s school.

Eligible families may utilise the hours at any time before the 30^thof April 2021.

It is not be possible to estimate the numbers participating in the scheme until after the programme has concluded.