Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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584. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools that have received disability intervention programmes for students and are expected to run such programme without professional training. [54951/22]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:

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.

The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management of the school. When appointing an SNA, it is a matter for the Board of Management to ensure that SNAs are in a position to effectively meet the care needs of the pupil(s) for whom SNA support has been allocated in the school.

Where specific training is required, the Board of Management should liaise with the Health Service Executive (HSE) in order to ensure that the HSE provides guidance and training that enables the SNA to meet the care needs of the pupil in an appropriate manner. As it is a matter for individual school authorities to make such arrangements locally the information requested is not held by the Department of Education.

SNAs are recruited specifically to assist in the care needs of pupils with disabilities in an educational context. The role of the SNA is to support the care needs of a child.

Therapy interventions such as speech and language and occupational therapy services are often provided by HSE medical professionals. While it is appropriate for SNAs to assist students to access therapy support in schools, or to assist a therapist in providing support for a child or assist the child to preform therapy tasks directed by a therapist, the SNA is not responsible for the management or provision of therapy services in view of the particular skill-set required to deliver therapeutic interventions.

The availability and provision of health-related therapy services for children with disabilities, including speech and language therapy and occupational therapy, is a matter for the Health Service Executive (HSE). Queries in relation to the provision of health-related services should therefore be directed to that body or to the Department of Health.