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Special Educational Needs Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 December 2020

Tuesday, 1 December 2020

Questions (62)

Paul Murphy

Question:

62. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education the method used in the new SNA allocations model (details supplied). [40041/20]

View answer

Written answers

Schools were notified of the arrangements for the allocation of SNA support in respect of students in mainstream classes for 2020/21 in April 2020.

The arrangements include the following provisions:

- 2019/20 mainstream class SNA allocations were frozen, from the date of issue of Circular 0030/2020 (published on 24 April 2020), and automatically rolled over into the 2020/21 school year. This meant that no school received an allocation less than that which they had on the date of issue of this Circular and existing SNAs who were in standard SNA posts continued in these posts for the 2020/21 school year in the normal way.

- Schools can apply to the NCSE for additionality where they could demonstrate that the current allocation does not meet additional care needs within the mainstream classes in the school. Applications for additionality arising from significant new or emerging additional care needs, which cannot be catered within existing allocations, will be dealt with by way of an exceptional review process.

- A diagnosis of a disability, or a psychological or other professional report, is not necessary for this process.

- The role of the SNA to support the care needs of students in mainstream classes, as set out in Circular 0030/2014, remained unchanged.

It was expected that schools would review and reprioritise the deployment of SNAs within mainstream settings and allocate resources to ensure those with the greatest level of need receive the greatest level of support. Providing access to SNA support continues to be based on primary care needs as outlined in DES Circular 0030/2014.

Following such a review and reprioritisation, it is expected that a small number of schools, for example, developing schools may not have a sufficient SNA allocation to meet the needs of their students. These schools can apply to the NCSE for an Exceptional Review of their allocation.

Detailed information on the NCSE exceptional review process is published on the NCSE website www.ncse.ie.

The exceptional review process for mainstream allocations will be available to schools throughout the 2020/21 school year.

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