Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2020
557. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Education and Skills the contact made with a school (details supplied) to facilitate it with the appropriate information to allow it to provide the summer provision scheme to its students in 2020, either through teachers providing the service or parents funding tutors to provide the service within school grounds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14942/20]
View answerMy Department published details of Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Education including a programme for children with complex special educational needs.
The programme is a significant expansion on the July Provision programme of previous years with the eligibility criteria widened to include approximately 9,000 additional primary aged children with complex needs.
All special schools and primary schools with special classes are invited to provide the school based summer provision for their students. This programme will run for a minimum of two weeks and can extend up to four weeks where the schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants are willing to participate.
Stepaside ETNS were one of the schools invited to take part in the School Summer Scheme, information on the scheme and how to register were included.
A reminder was sent to all eligible schools on the 3rd of July advising the deadline for registration was the 8th July 2020.
Home-based provision is available where a child’s local school is not providing a programme or does not have the capacity to accommodate a child in a planned programme this year.
In this situation my Department will provide grant funding towards the engagement by Parents of a registered teacher / SNA to provide home based support for 10 hours a week for 4 weeks.
Similar to the July Provision programme of previous years grouping arrangements are permitted subject to Terms and Conditions.
Any group interested in providing group home based support should contact the Department by email -
@ HomeBasedSummerProgram@education.gov.ie or phone (090) 648 4187 (10am to 5pm Monday to Friday).
Full information on summer provision and its various strands, including guidance information for parents, is available at Gov.ie/summerprovision
