SCHOOLS ARE bracing themselves for possible cuts in the number of special needs assistants after a Department of Education report found there had been an “over-allocation’’ of assistants.
As a first step, special needs supports for pupils in junior infants appear vulnerable.
The department pointed out yesterday that special needs supports were allocated to schools in respect of most applications for junior infant pupils for whom behaviour was cited as the core need. This was “despite the fact that schools will not have had much experience of the cited behaviours, nor had an opportunity to take steps to address such behaviour through the recommended NEPS behaviour approach”.
Last night the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation expressed concern at the decision to cut back on special needs supports in junior infant classes. “When a child with special needs does not have those needs met in junior infants, every child starting school is affected,” said a spokesperson.
The union criticised the department comment that schools would not have had much experience of the children’s behaviour. “Schools have been dealing with behaviour problems for years, and know what is needed. They should not have to wait until the education of all children is affected before the department is willing to act.’’
The department’s value-for- money report on special needs assistants found there was an “over-allocation’’ of 27 per cent in primary and post primary schools and 10 per cent in special needs schools.
It showed the purpose of the scheme was not well understood by either schools or parents, and that this had led to some problems with allocation. It had also led to the role of the assistants being expanded beyond its original intention, according to the department.
The review showed some professionals felt they had been pressurised into identifying care needs which might not have met criteria for special needs support. This issue will be addressed between the department, the National Council for Special Education and professional bodies, the department said. The report showed some schools were determined to retain the services of an assistant even if there was no longer the same need.
Yesterday, the department said there was now a need to “restate the purpose of SNA scheme, so that all stakeholders, especially schools and parents, have a clear understanding of the care role of the SNA and how this resource should be allocated”.
The report showed the number of assistant posts had risen dramatically from 2,988 in 2001 to more than 10,500. Spending on the scheme had risen by more than 922 per cent since then and currently stood at €348 million.
