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Special Educational Needs

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 February 2021

Wednesday, 3 February 2021

Ceisteanna (371)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

371. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education the actions schools should take in light of the fact that special educational needs organisers, SENOs, are not accepting applications due to a new system being rolled out that is preventing schools planning for September. [5333/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) continues to accept applications by schools for exception reviews of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) allocations and each application will continue to be assessed on a case by case basis.

A core recommendation of the NCSE Review of the SNA scheme concerned a change in the way that SNAs are allocated to mainstram classes in both primary and post primary schools and called for the greater proporion of SNAs in these classes to be allocated on the basis of an educational profile of each school before the commencement of the school year in a similar manner to the allocation of special education teachers (SETs).

The frontloaded allocation model is intended to ensure that SNA posts are in schools and available immediately to students upon their arrival, reducing delays in accessing suppor. It eliminates the need for individual applications and professional assessments in order to access resources and facilitates schools allocating the available resources to those with greatest need.

It had been planned that the frontloaded model of allocation for SNAs would be rolled out to all schools from the commencement of the 2020/21 school year.

However, due to the disruption caused by Covid-19 and the closure of school buildings in March 2020. It was decided that the introuction of the model would be deferred.  This will allow time for the necessary planning and trining for schools.

As an interim step, SNA allocations were frozen at their current levels for 2020/21 with provision for additionality where necessary. Deparment Circular 30/2020 sets out the arrangements for SNA allocations for the 2020/21 school year.

Schools were advised in the first instance to review and reprioritise deployment of all SNAs within mainstram settings and allocate resources on the basis that those with the greatest level of need receive the greatest level of support.

Providing access to SNA support continues to be based on primary care needs as outlined in DES Circular 0030/2014. SNA allocations for special classes and special schools are not affected by this arrangement.

Where schools consider their SNA allocation to be inadequate to meet current needs, a school can seek a review by making an application to the NCSE.

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