Niamh Smyth
Ceist:486. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education if she will urgently review the case of a child (details supplied). [3172/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 5 February 2025
Ceisteanna (486)
Freagraí scríofa
As you are aware enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for government. Thanks to considerable investment in special education in recent years the vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs.
SNAs play a central role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs into schools. They help ensure that these students can access an education to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.
The NCSE has advised my department that they are aware of the circumstances of the student referred to by the Deputy. The NCSE are engaging with both the school and the parents of the student in order to ascertain what supports the student requires in order to start school next September. The NCSE will continue to support the family at local level.
SNAs are allocated to schools as a school-based resource. Principals/board of managements then deploy SNAs within schools to meet the care support requirements of the children enrolled whom SNA support has been allocated. This provides schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
At any stage where a schools feels like it has insufficient SNA support to meet the needs of its students an application can be submitted to the NCSE requesting a review of its allocation. Detailed information on the NCSE's SNA review process is published on the NCSE's website. Each case is individually assessed and is based on the student profile of each school.
Following the outcome of the review, the NCSE can make a local special educational needs officer (SENO) available to the school to discuss their current deployment of SNA supports in the school and to put these supports to the best advantage of the students. NCSE in-school support is also available to schools to offer further guidance and support.
My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
Question No. 487 answered with Question No. 484.