Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 September 2023
360. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the total number of special needs' assistants employed at primary and at secondary level, distinguishing those in mainstream classes, special classes and in special schools; and the number of children receiving support in each case. [40356/23]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:
Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government.
The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.
For 2023, the spend by the department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 the department will spend over €2.6 billion on special education.
This level of educational funding and support is unprecedented and represents in excess of 27% of the department’s total allocation for 2023.
This includes funding to support children with special educational needs in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers, special needs assistants (SNAs) and funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).
In 2023, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 686 teachers and a further 1,194 SNAs in our schools next year.
For the first time ever we will have over 19,000 teachers working in the area of special education and over 20,000 SNAs. Together we have almost 40,000 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs.
The NCSE has the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews.
SNAs play a central role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs into mainstream education, special classes and special schools ensuring that these students can access education to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.
SNAs are allocated to schools as a school based resource and not to individual children. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual principal/board of management of the school. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated.
It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised. For this reason the number of pupils receiving support is not available.
A school can apply to the NCSE for a review of its SNA allocation if it is insufficient to meet the needs of its students. Detailed information on the NCSE exceptional review process is published on the NCSE website. ncse.ie/application-for-sna-exceptional-review .
In relation to special classes and special schools there is a prescribed special class to SNA ratio. An autism special class, for example, has an allocation of 1 teacher and 2 SNA posts to cater for the educational and care needs of 6 students. This ratio apples to the special class, not the entire school.
Circumstances may arise where this level of support is not sufficient to meet the care needs of the cohort of students enrolled. In such circumstances, the school may apply to the NCSE for access to additional care supports, clearly outlining the reason why the additional support is necessary.
The NCSE have confirmed that as of 6 September 2023, 20,397 SNA posts have been allocated to special classes, mainstream and special schools.
The allocations are shown in the following table:
|
2023/2024 SNA allocations as at 06/09/2023 |
Special School |
Mainstream |
Special Class |
Total |
|
Primary |
8,934.70 |
3,998.90 |
12,933.60 |
|
|
Post Primary |
2,716.25 |
1,669.50 |
4,385.75 |
|
|
Special School |
3,077.83 |
3,077.83 |
||
|
Total |
20,397.18 |
The NCSE have published the SNA allocations for the 2023/24 school year in tabular form. For ease of reference these allocations are broken down by school type and by county and are available on the NCSE's website at: ncse.ie/set-hours-and-sna-allocations
My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
