Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 September 2021
125. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the difficulty parents have in engaging a list of suitably qualified special needs assistants particularly in relation to the home-based summer programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45577/21]
View answerI am aware of the difficulty experienced by some parents in sourcing teachers to come into their home to provide tuition to their child under the home based strand of the summer programme.
In this regard, it is not practical for my Department to maintain lists of teachers and SNAs who are willing to work on the summer programme at a local level throughout the country. For this reason, my Department engaged with the NCSE and the IPPN on the publication of a list of teachers and SNAs who would be available to do this work. Schools were also requested to support parents in sourcing a teacher of a an SNA in the local area.
In addition, the home based strand could be availed of over the summer vacation period thereby providing flexibility for parents.
Teachers and SNAs were permitted to work with more than one family over the course of the summer, once they adhered to the terms of the scheme, and the COVID-19 guidance provided.
The issue of support and information for parents will be considered in the planned review of the summer programme.
My Department’s Summer Programme for 2020 was a significant expansion on the July Provision programme of previous years, and was expanded further for Summer 2021. This was in recognition of the disruptions caused to children with complex needs during the COVID-related school closures in 2020 and 2021.
