Written answers

Thursday, 1 July 2021

Department of Education and Skills

Special Educational Needs

Photo of Gary GannonGary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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86. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if SENOs are required to make a visit to schools in September 2021 as part of the SNA exceptional reviews for post-secondary schools; if there will be a knock-on effect in relation to when schools will be able to hire SNAs resulting in resources not being present in schools at the time students enter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35386/21]

Photo of Josepha MadiganJosepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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A core recommendation of the National Council for Special Education’s (NCSE) Review of the Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme concerned a change in the way that SNAs are allocated to mainstream classes in both primary and post primary schools and called for the greater proportion of SNAs in these classes to be allocated on the basis of an educational profile of each school before the commencement of the school year in a similar manner to the allocation of special education teachers (SETs).

The frontloaded allocation model is intended to ensure that SNA posts are in schools and available immediately to students upon their arrival, reducing delays in accessing support. It eliminates the need for individual applications and professional assessments in order to access resources and facilitates schools allocating the available resources to those with greatest need.

Providing access to SNA support continues to be based on primary care needs as outlined in DES Circular 0030/2014. SNA allocations for special classes and special schools are not affected by this arrangement.

Where schools consider their SNA allocation to be inadequate to meet current needs, a school can seek a review by making an application to the NCSE which is available to schools throughout the current school year.

The NCSE have stated that schools are free to submit applications requesting an SNA exceptional review at any time throughout the school year. The NCSE examines the application to identify whether there has been a significant change in the profile of care needs in the school. In some cases an additional allocation is required and is subsequently made available to the school.

The NCSE state that in some cases it may be possible to conclude a review as an office based exercise, in many cases it is also necessary to visit the school. Where a school visit is required to complete the process, arrangements are made with the school to identify suitable dates.

The NCSE have confirmed that priority consideration will be given to applications for the 2021/22 school year. In particular, applications from schools with no SNAs and developing schools will be prioritised and determinations made before 30 June 2021. Other applications will be processed in order of date received.

The NCSE has published the SNA allocations on their website www.ncse.ie for the 2021/22 school year.

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