Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 March 2022
453. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the way the provision for Ukrainian pupils with care needs requiring SNA support will be provided; if schools are to apply through the exceptional review process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16721/22]
View answerIn line with advice from the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) and best international practice, children and young people arriving from Ukraine into Ireland, including those with special educational needs, need to be placed as soon as possible in a school setting and given the opportunity to settle in, adapt and adjust to their new environment, new home, new school, and to be given access to practical supports and assistance to settle in and make friends.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which is an independent statutory agency, is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including the allocation of SNAs and reviews.
My Department is working to ensure that the NCSE is available to support schools who have Ukrainian children with additional or special needs. In addition local Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) will be available to support individual families in accessing education and related supports for their children with special education needs. In this regard the SENOs will link with other relevant state agencies including Education Welfare Services and the HSE.
Where circumstances change during the course of the school year that materially increase the level of care need in a school to the extent that the school can clearly demonstrate that it cannot be met within the existing SNA allocation, the school may apply to the NCSE for a review of its allocation. My Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations and the school should liaise with the NCSE directly in the event that additional SNA support is required.
For those children with the most complex need (for example with a history of specialist placement) consideration may be given to placement in a special school or special class. However, the same overarching principle of ‘Placement for Identification of Need’ will apply and a flexible approach to placement in the longer term is advised.
