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Special Educational Needs

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 June 2021

Tuesday, 15 June 2021

Questions (785)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

785. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education if home-based July provision will be made available to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31344/21]

View answer

Written answers

The Government has approved the provision of significantly expanded summer education programmes for pupils with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage, as a COVID-19 pandemic response measure, for summer 2021.

This is an incredibly important Government decision, which ensures that for first time all primary and post primary schools have the opportunity to provide summer programmes for students with complex needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage.

The total funding available to provide the programme is up to €40 million, a one hundred per cent increase on the allocation for summer provision in 2020.

The programmes for mainstream students in primary and post-primary schools are new programmes for 2021, building upon previous summer programmes for pupils with complex special educational needs and those in provided in DEIS schools last year.

The following categories of students are considered as students with complex needs for the 2021

summer programme:

- All students in special schools and special classes in primary and post primary schools.

- Students in mainstream classes in primary and post primary schools who are accessing the highest level of the continuum of support (Student Support Plus/for a few). This includes students with Autism, Down syndrome, sensory impairments, and other disabilities who were identified for the supplementary programme earlier this year. Children in the above categories entering primary school in September 2021 are also eligible for the programme.

My Department recognises that not all schools will be in a position to provide a school-based programme. A home-based summer programme will continue to be available for children with complex needs where their schools are not providing a school-based programme.

Under the home-based programme grant funding is made available so that parents/legal guardians can engage the services of a Teacher or an SNA to provide tuition or care support as appropriate in the child’s home.

Application forms for the home-based programme have been made available to all primary and post-primary schools. The child’s school must complete Part 1 of the form to confirm eligibility and that there is no school-based programme available for them. The parent is then free to engage the services of a teacher/SNA to provide tuition or care support for their child.

Supporting documentation for the home-based programme, including a detailed Overview document for parents/teachers/SNAs has been published at: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a0e87-summer-provision-home-based-programme/

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