Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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68. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of SNA supports for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33651/22]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews.

The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs.  Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.

SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management of the school.  SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated. 

It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised. 

In relation to SNA support the NCSE have confirmed that the school has an allocation of SNA support to provide support for children with primary care needs. 

The following arrangements for the allocation of SNA support in respect of students in mainstream classes for 2022/23 will apply:

a) The SNA allocations for mainstream classes in schools on 31st May 2022 will be maintained for 2022/23. This will provide greater certainty for schools.

b) A process for schools, whereby if they consider their SNA allocation is in excess of the required care needs, to engage with the NCSE. Schools should contact their local NCSE Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO) to commence the process.

c) The exceptional review process undertaken by NCSE will remain in place throughout the 2022/23 school year, where schools can seek a review of their SNA allocations which will result in one of the following outcomes:

i. No change in the level of care need identified (and no change in the resultant SNA allocation);

ii. Increase in the level of care need identified (which if significant would see an increase in the SNA allocations to the schools) ;

iii. Decrease in level of care need identified in the school (which if significant would result in a reduction in SNA allocations as the care need could be managed with less resources than are currently allocated); In relation to outcome iii, the SNA allocation will be adjusted at the end of the relevant school term.

It is expected that schools will review and reprioritise the deployment of SNAs within mainstream settings and allocate resources to ensure those with the greatest level of need receive the greatest level of support. Providing access to SNA support continues to be based on primary care needs as outlined in DES Circular 0030/2014 circulars.gov.ie/pdf/circular/education/2014/30.pdf. Following such a review and reprioritisation, it is expected that a small number of schools, e.g. developing schools, may not have a sufficient SNA allocation to meet the needs of their students. These schools can apply to the NCSE for an Exceptional Review of their allocation.

Detailed information on the NCSE Exceptional Review process is published on the NCSE website: ncse.ie/application-for-sna-exceptional-review.

The NCSE will endeavour to respond to all applications for Exceptional Review received as expediently as possible and in that regard, it will prioritise applications from schools with no current SNA allocation and developing schools. The Exceptional Review process for mainstream allocations will be available to schools throughout the 2022/23 school year.

The NCSE has developed an appeal mechanism for schools who are not satisfied with the outcome of the Exceptional Review. Local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) will provide information and clarification to schools on the outcome where requested. Where schools wish to appeal the outcome of the review, they must do so using the prescribed form provided by the NCSE at ncse.ie/ncse-appeals-process.

The NCSE have published the SNA allocations for the 2022/23 school year and they are available at ncse.ie/set-hours-and-sna-allocations.

All schools have the contact details of their local SENO, and the SENO is available to offer assistance and advice to the school. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.

My Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations. Accordingly your correspondence has been forwarded to the NCSE for direct reply.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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69. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps that have been taken to ensure all children with special educational needs will have a school place this coming September. [34779/22]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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Enabling children with special educational needs (SEN) to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government.

It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education and Inclusion, for my Department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

The Deputy will be aware of many of the strategic initiatives already put in place, particularly in the last 2 years, to support and expand SEN provision in schools throughout the country.  An additional 300 special classes have opened in the current school-year providing 1,800 new placements. A further 315 special classes are already planned for 2022/23. Two new special schools opened in Cork and Dublin last September with two further special schools to open in these areas during the next school-year.

In 2022, we will spend over 25% of our total educational budget on providing additional supports for children with SEN. This represents an increase of over 60%, in total expenditure, since 2011.

We are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.

Continuing to add capacity in schools to support SEN provision is a key priority with a particular emphasis at post-primary level.

The Department’s Geographic Information Management System (GIS) will continue to support a strategic and coordinated approach to planning and delivery of SEN provision. This includes “real-time” data on capacity across the school system.

The Department is working actively with the NCSE and other key stakeholders including School Patrons and Management Bodies to provide additional special classes and special school places for the 2022/23 school year.

The Deputy will also be aware that my Department has actively engaged in reviewing and updating the relevant legislation at this time. Earlier this week the Government approved the text of an Education (Provision in Respect of Children with Special Educational Needs) Bill 2022. This legislation provides for a truncated and more streamlined Section 37A process and also places additional duties on schools to co-operate with the NCSE in relation to making additional provision for children with special educational needs.

Every support will be made available to progress additional special education capacity, in the shortest possible timeframe with a particular focus on Dublin. The NCSE is in ongoing contact with the families of children who have not yet secured a special class or special school placement for the 2022/23 school-year. 

I want to reassure you also that my Department will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all children are successful in accessing an education.