I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 47 together.
In December 2013, this Government increased the cap on the number of SNA posts by 390 posts to 10,965 at the end of 2014 with over 23,000 children currently accessing SNA services.
These extra posts will ensure that the Government's policy of ensuring that every child who is assessed as needing SNA support will receive access to such support. Circular 0030/2014, which issued to schools on 10th April 2014, sets out my Department's policy in relation to the SNA scheme. This Circular clarifies and restates the purpose of the SNA scheme which is to provide schools with additional support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs.
In June 2011, my Department published a Value for Money and Policy Review of the SNA scheme. In May 2013, the NCSE published its Policy Advice on Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs in Schools.
Both reports concluded that the SNA scheme has been highly successful in supporting the care needs of children with special needs in schools, and with assisting to facilitate their integration and inclusion. However, the reports also concluded that the intended purpose of the scheme was not always generally well understood by parents or schools and that the scope and purpose of the scheme should be clarified for schools.
My Department accordingly prepared a new Circular for schools, which was designed to clarify the scope and purpose of the SNA scheme, in accordance with the recommendations of the reports and policy advice noted above. The circular therefore should not be interpreted as a means to reduce the numbers of SNAs in schools.
At present all SNA allocations are reviewed annually. The circular restates this practice. It should also not be assumed that any such review will automatically lead to a reduction in SNA support for individual pupils, or for schools who have pupils who have continuing care needs.
The Circular acknowledges that many pupils will have care needs which may remain constant. However, the Circular makes clear that whereas supports may be reduced to ensure that pupils who have diminishing care needs can be afforded an opportunity to develop independent living skills, that SNA supports will continue to be provided for those pupils who have ongoing care needs.
The Circular provides details of the primary care needs for which SNA support will usually be provided and details the types of secondary care associated tasks which SNAs may often perform. The circular has not materially altered the definition of care needs but has clarified the care needs for which SNA support should be provided.
The circular clarifies the role of the Classroom Teacher and Resource/Learning Support Teachers to provide for the education of a child, and the role of an SNA to support those teachers in assisting with care needs. The role that professional reports play in supporting the SNA scheme is also set out.
The NCSE allocates a quantum of SNA support for each school annually, taking into account the care needs of all of the qualifying children enrolled in the school, and on the basis of the assessed care needs of all the children concerned, rather than solely by reference to a pupils disability categorisation.
It is considered that this Circular will provide useful guidance and support for schools and parents in clarifying the purpose of the scheme and setting out the circumstances in which SNA support will normally be provided to assist children with special educational needs to access education.
