Written answers

Wednesday, 19 June 2024

Department of Education and Skills

Special Educational Needs

Photo of Pauline TullyPauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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36. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special schools taking part in the summer programme special school pilot scheme; and the number of special schools not taking part. [26335/24]

Photo of Hildegarde NaughtonHildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Details of the 2024 Summer Programme were published on the 21st March 2024. Funding of €40m is available and, as in previous years, all of the funding is utilised to meet the needs of our most vulnerable children.

All schools have an opportunity to run a programme over the summer months for those children who need it the most. These children can continue to be supported, nurtured and encouraged to engage in a fun and inclusive educational setting.

The main priority again in 2024 is that those children with the most complex special educational needs, especially in special schools, should have access to a school-based summer programme.

More than 1,700 individual expressions of interest have been received from schools seeking to run this year’s Summer Programme – representing the highest-ever uptake of the Summer Programme. Over 1,400 schools participated in the programme in 2023.

Of the schools registered for the 2024 Summer Programme to date, there are:

  • 1,475 primary schools – up 19 per cent on 2023
  • 205 post-primary schools – up 28 per cent on 2023
  • 72 special schools – up 22 per cent on 2023 and 85 per cent on 2022.
It is further anticipated that the increase in the number of children taking part in these schools will be even higher. Final counts will not be known until all Summer Programmes payment claims have been processed.

The increase in registrations continues the positive upward trend in participation seen in the summer programmes over the last number of years. Over 50,000 children took part in the summer programme last year, compared to 13,000 in 2019.

There are currently 130 schools which are categorised as special schools. This includes hospital schools and schools attached to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Units. The number of schools not taking part in the Special School Pilot scheme equates to 58.

The Summer Programme is reliant on schools and their staff choosing to participate on a voluntary basis. The Department, along with the National Co-ordinator, will continue to engage with management bodies, schools and parents with a view to targeting and encouraging even more schools to participate in Summer Programme going forward.

Where a special school is not running a Summer Programme or a place on their school-based programme is unavailable, the Home-based programme is available for these pupils.

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