Joe McHugh
Question:547. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the summer provision programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19114/20]
View answerTuesday, 28 July 2020
Questions (547)
Written answers
Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Education – is a joint arrangement between the health and education sectors for Summer Provision for Children with Complex Needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage as a response to Covid-19.
These summer programmes will provide children with an opportunity to continue or re-engage with learning, at school or at home.
In particular, the programmes are about re-establishing relationships with students, building connections, meeting emotional needs, re-engaging in routines to support participation and learning.
The programmes focus on children with complex needs and those at the greatest risk of educational disadvantage:
- A school-based programme of education for children with complex needs
- A home-based programme for children with complex needs
- A HSE-led summer programme for children with complex needs, based in community settings, such as school buildings.
- A summer programme in DEIS schools for children at greatest risk of educational disadvantage
A total of 245 schools have registered for the summer special education programme. 242 of these schools have indicated that they intend to run the school-based education programme and 41 of these will make the school premises available to the HSE for its programme.
The estimated number of children expected to benefit is approximately 3,900.
To date 10,570 families have registered for the Home Based Programme in respect of 11,505 children.
231 DEIS primary schools have registered to participate in literacy and numeracy summer camps which will have an additional focus on wellbeing and reconnecting with schools. Of these, 221camps are confirmed at this time. The estimated number of children expected to benefit is approximately 7,300.
81 DEIS post-primary schools have expressed an interest to participate in the new DEIS post-primary summer programme. The total number of students identified to avail of the support is over 2,700.
The summer special education programme was expanded by this Government to include children of post-primary age with Down Syndrome.
It has also been clarified that children in early years settings with a number of conditions, including Down Syndrome, who are enrolled to start in mainstream primary school next month are also included.
The other conditions to which that applies are children with Autism, children who are Deaf or most severe hard of hearing; children who are blind or have a most severe visual impairment; children who have a moderate, severe or profound general learning disability; and children with severe emotional behavioural difficulties.