Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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364. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if it will be ensured that a freeze on the loss of teachers and SNA allocations is introduced for special schools to bring them into line with the policy applied to mainstream schools in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic; her views on whether the case for such a move is strong given the lengthy waiting times involved in children receiving face to face assessments through the National Educational Psychological Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33079/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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In light of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the introduction of the new Frontloaded Allocation Model for SNAs for students in mainstream classes in primary and post -primary schools is to be deferred for a further year to the beginning of the 2022/23 school year. 

The disruption prevented the delivery of the necessary training and information workshops to support the roll out of the new allocation model which had been planned for earlier this year.

In order to minimise disruption for schools, in the current circumstances, and to provide for continuity of allocations, the following are the arrangements for the allocation of Special Needs Assistants for mainstream classes for the 2021/22 school year. The arrangements include the following provisions:

- Existing mainstream class SNA allocations in schools on 30 April 2021 will be maintained and will automatically rollover into the 2021/22 school year.

- No school will therefore receive an allocation less than that which they had on 30 April 2021.

- SNAs currently in mainstream settings can continue in post for the next school year in the normal way. 

SNA allocations for special classes and special schools are not included in this model of allocation and will continue to be allocated by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in the normal way.  

Under this allocation model, the SNA allocation to a school 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. There is a prescribed special class to SNA ratio.

Circumstances may arise where this level of support is not sufficient to meet the care needs of the cohort of students enrolled. In such circumstances, the school may apply to the NCSE for access to additional care supports, clearly outlining the reason why the additional support is necessary.

The NCSE has published SNA allocations for the 2021/22 school year on their website at .

The Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for determining the appropriate staffing levels in relation to the support of pupils with special educational needs in special schools, in accordance with the policies of my Department. 

Special school staffing allocations are reviewed and updated each year by the NCSE and special schools are staffed on the basis of each year’s current school enrolments.Staffing arrangements for special schools are in line with policy advice provided by the NCSE in 2013, which did not recommend alteration to staffing ratios established under the Special Education Review Committee (SERC) Report in 1993. 

Enhanced pupil teacher and SNA ratios are provided to special schools to support them in dealing with pupils' educational and care needs. These schools are staffed on the basis of individual pupil profile and the disability categorisations of those pupils, as opposed to being based primarily on school designation, in accordance with my Department's Circular 0032/2019 - Appointment of Administrative Deputy Principal and Staffing in Special Schools.

The deputy refers to lengthy waiting times for assessments through NEPS.  It is important to note that In common with many other psychological services and best international practice, NEPS has adopted a consultative model of service and this model does not operate on a waiting lists basis. 

The NEPS Model of Service is one where there is a balance between consultation and casework about individual children, and support and development work with school personnel.  This model of service allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent cases and also to help many more children indirectly than could be seen individually. It also ensures that children are not referred unnecessarily for psychological intervention.