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Special Educational Needs Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2020

Wednesday, 27 May 2020

Ceisteanna (232)

Denise Mitchell

Ceist:

232. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the redeployment of SNAs has now been scrapped; his plans to reassign them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7789/20]

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Freagraí scríofa

The Minister announced on 1st April a contingency plan for all Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to be available for a new temporary assignment scheme as part of the Government’s response to Covid-19. In the normal course of events, the majority of children with disabilities access multidisciplinary therapy services through the HSE. Many of these services have been scaled down during the Covid-19 emergency situation as staff are redeployed. The reduction in these services, combined with school closures are putting substantial demands on children with disabilities and their families. It is intended that the temporary assignment of SNAs to support children’s disability services during this public health emergency will help to alleviate the stress being experienced by these vulnerable families.

My Department's ‘Guidance on Continuity of Schooling: Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs’ document provides a framework for SEN Teachers and SNAs to maintain contact with SEN students and to provide appropriate learning support. It is acknowledged and welcomed that many SNAs have been engaged in such work through their schools since the closure period began. It has been confirmed to school management that, in the interim period pending the assignment of an individual SNA to the HSE, that SNA is available to support their allocated students through their school.

The HSE has now finalised the details of a new service which SNAs will provide during the school closure period. The HSE has started assigning SNAs to families and children identified in their services.

There has been close cooperation between the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Health and the HSE in establishing and managing the scheme to date. The Departments and the HSE hold weekly meetings with the Education Division of Fórsa (the trade union representing SNAs) to resolve any issues of concern.

SNAs will be asked to provide support to those students in receipt of HSE Disability services by way of remote working through the use of telephones, smart phones or laptops. They will work under the guidance and direction of the child’s ‘key point of contact’ who will be a clinician such as a speech and language therapist, psychologist or occupational therapist who is familiar with the student and will explain what support each student and family might require. The key point of contact will provide strategies for working with the child / family and will signpost the SNA towards any resources required. Communication channels between the school and the SNA will be facilitated where appropriate to ensure that SNAs can receive guidance where educational issues arise during the course of the suite of supports being provided by the HSE teams during this period.

SNAs will be matched with students, and wherever possible this will be their own allocated student(s). If this is not possible, SNAs may then be matched to support children with whom they are not familiar. Students and families requiring the greatest level of support will be prioritised.

To ensure that SNAs receive appropriate support and have regular opportunities to engage with the HSE’s multidisciplinary teams, SNAs will be able to access resources at the relevant HSE or disability service premises and will be provided with a letter identifying them as an essential worker to facilitate travel to these centres.

It is intended that the work of the SNAs will be underpinned by dedicated ICT supports. Therefore, where the SNA prefers to work remotely or has an underlying health condition or particular circumstances that impact on their ability to leave their home and has access to the appropriate technology this can be facilitated with the agreement of the Service Manager and key point of contact.

The HSE will provide induction for all SNAs who are asked to participate in the new service. Where possible they will ask SNAs to attend one of their offices to do this but where SNAs are self-isolating, have underlying health conditions or have childcare or other caring responsibilities, the induction can be done remotely.

The HSE are providing a dedicated IT platform which will allow the HSE to match SNAs to children / families. This platform will also allow the SNA to log their interactions with the family and to report on same. SNAs can use their own phone, tablet or laptop to carry out this work, and access to appropriate resources and technology will also be available at the HSE / disability premises.

At all times the HSE will take account of the public health restrictions in place and the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business published by Government on 1 May.

Question No. 233 answered with Question No. 172.
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