Niall Collins
Ceist:375. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education if she will advise regarding the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27271/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 31 May 2022
Ceisteanna (375)
Freagraí scríofa
The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews.
The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.
When a school has been allocated an SNA, the Board of Management, as the employer, is responsible for filling the vacancy. SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource.
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 SNA support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
Where circumstances change during the course of the 2021/22 school year that materially increase the level of care need in a school to the extent that the school can clearly demonstrate that it cannot be met within the existing SNA allocation, the school may apply to the NCSE for a review. Detailed information on the NCSE exceptional review process is published on the NCSE website www.ncse.ie/for-schools.