Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 July 2018
201. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the decision not to allocate special needs assistant hours at a school (details supplied) will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29478/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible 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.
In considering applications for SNA supports for individual pupils, the NCSE 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.
SNA allocations to all schools can change from year to year as children with care needs leave the school, as new children with care needs enrol in a school and as children develop more independent living skills and their care needs diminish over time.
The Department’s policy is to ensure that every child who is assessed as needing SNA support will receive access to such support. In line with this policy, the Minister announced last month that 800 additional SNAs will be allocated for the beginning of the next school year, with a further 140 expected to be allocated by the end of the year.
The NCSE Appeals Process may be invoked by a parent or a school where it is considered that a child was not granted access to SNA support on the grounds that Department policy was not met in accordance with Circular 0030/2014.
Schools may also appeal a decision, where the school considers that the NCSE, in applying Department policy, has not allocated the appropriate level of SNA support to the school to meet the special educational and/or care needs of the children concerned.
Where a school has received its allocation of SNA support for 2018/19, but wishes new enrolments or assessments to be considered, which were not taken into account when the initial allocation was made, they may continue to make applications to the NCSE. The closing date for receipt of any appeals in regard to SNA allocations is Friday, 28th September 2018.
In respect of a decision by a board of management or a person acting on behalf of a board of management to refuse to enrol a student in the school, an appeal may be made to the Secretary General of the Department of Education & Skills.
A completed Section 29 Appeals Application Form and a letter confirming the decision of the board of management must be submitted to:
Section 29 Appeals Administration Unit,
Department of Education and Skills,
Friar's Mill Road,
Mullingar,
County Westmeath.
N91 H30Y
The letter must be signed by a board of management member and the title of signatory must clearly state board of management membership or secretary to the board. The appeal should be submitted within 42 calendar days from the date the decision of the board of management was notified to the appellant.
As this question relates to a particular child, I have referred the question to the NCSE for their direct reply.
