Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 May 2018
182. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an occupational therapy appointment will be scheduled for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22201/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are provided to assist recognised schools to cater for pupils with disabilities, who have additional and significant care needs, in an educational context and where the nature of these care needs have been outlined in medical and other professional reports as being so significant that a pupil will require additional adult assistance in order to be able to attend school and to participate in education.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school.
The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in Department Circular 0030/2014, which is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie, in order that students who have care needs can access SNA support as and when it is needed. My Department’s policy is to ensure that every child who is assessed as needing SNA support will receive access to such support. SNA support is also provided in mainstream classes where appropriate.
In considering applications for SNA supports for individual pupils, the SENOs take account of the pupils' needs and consider the resources available to the school to identify whether additionality is needed or whether the school might reasonably be expected to meet the needs of the pupils from its current level of resources. SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource.
It is not the case that SNA support cannot be provided for a pupil who transitions from a special class placement to a mainstream class placement. SNA support may be provided in either setting, taking in account of the assessed care needs that the pupil has in that setting.
All schools have the contact details of their local SENO and parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available at http://ncse.ie/seno-contact-list.
The SENO will also be able to outline for the parent the criteria applicable to special education transport arrangements.
Finally, I must advise the provision of speech and language and occupational therapy support services is a matter for the Health Service Executive. The Deputy's specific question in relation to the provision of speech therapy and occupational therapy support should therefore be addressed directly to the Department of Health.
