Alan Farrell
Ceist:135. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the recruitment of SNAs and special education teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57456/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 24 November 2022
Ceisteanna (135)
Freagraí scríofa
I would like to thank the Deputy for the questions raised and would advise the following:
This year, my Department will spend in excess of €2 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing a wide range of schemes and supports for children with special educational needs.
This includes additional teaching and care supports.
As a result, the number of special education teachers, special needs assistants and special class and school places are at unprecedented levels.
The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews. The Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations.
The NCSE have published the SNA and SET allocations for the 2022/23 school year and they are available at ncse.ie/set-hours-and-sna-allocations
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.
Where circumstances change during the course of the 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 review process is published on the NCSE website, ncse.ie/special-needs-assistants
The Special Education Teaching (SET) allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile.
The SET allocation allows schools to provide additional teaching support for all pupils who require such support in their schools and for schools to deploy resources based on each pupil’s individual learning needs.
A process is available where schools can seek a review of their SET allocation by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), including the utilisation of their allocations, in circumstances where a school considers that very exceptional circumstances have arisen subsequent to the development of the profile. Detailed information on the NCSE review process is published on the NCSE website, ncse.ie/special-education-teachers
When a school has been allocated an SNA or SET post, the Board of Management, as the employer, is responsible for filling the vacancy.
Question No. 136 answered with Question No. 108.