Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 November 2015
534. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a reply will issue following an interim response (details supplied) regarding professional development support from the Special Education Support Service for special needs assistants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40489/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the purpose of the Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is 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 criteria by which SNA support is allocated to pupils is set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014 which is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie.
The Circular explains that where pupils have particular care needs, that schools should ensure that SNAs who are recruited to work with such children are equipped with the skills necessary to support the particular needs of these pupils.
The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management. 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. Where specific training may be required, the board should liaise with the Health Service Executive (HSE) in order to ensure that the HSE provides guidance and/or training that enables the SNA to meet the care needs of the pupil in an appropriate manner.
Finally, I wish to advise the Deputy that the brief of the Special Education Support service (SESS) is to enhance the quality of learning and teaching of students with special educational needs through the provision of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and support for teachers in mainstream schools, primary and post-primary special schools, and special classes. The SESS also provides whole school training at the request of schools and at the principals discretion SNAs can also access courses during whole school training. There are no current plans to extend the remit of the SESS to provide for SNA training in the future.
