Violet-Anne Wynne
Question:135. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Education the number of children who availed of July provision in each of the years 2018 to 2020, by county in tabular form. [35325/21]
View answerWednesday, 30 June 2021
Questions (135)
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 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, including early intervention classes.
- 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.
A home-based summer programme is 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.
July Provision/Summer Provision Statistics 2018-2020
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
|
Total no. of children (Home Based & School Based) |
10228 |
10563 |
13608 |
*For 2020 the scheme became Summer Provision and was extended to a wider number of categories for eligibility as a response to the pandemic. The number of children participating with ASD or a severe/profound general learning difficulty are included in the overall total of eligible children.
# Eligibility for the scheme is based on category of disability and enrolment in a recognised school.
This total will include children in special schools, special classes and those with the relevant diagnosis in mainstream education.