‘Narrow interpretation’ of SNA’s role will cause children to suffer in coming years says Wexford teacher

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

While plans to reallocate special needs assistants (SNA) in schools across the country were ultimately reversed by the government last month, there remains a fear that this sudden about-turn is only delaying the inevitable and that the same issues will arise in a year’s time.

Although the number of SNAs in Irish schools will increase by over 1,700 next year, many existing SNAs will be reallocated to where the need is considered greatest; resulting in some schools losing half of their existing special needs assistants. And while 800 of these additional SNAs will be employed in 400 new special classes in mainstream schools, and a further 130 will be assigned to special schools, there is a belief that these numbers will not be enough to meet the demand for SNAs.

Wexford councillor Tom Forde, who is a primary school teacher at the local Educate Together, believes children across the county will suffer unless the guidelines proposed by National Council for Special Education (NCSE) are altered immediately.

A motion submitted by Cllr Forde at the March meeting of Wexford County Council (WCC) noted that, despite an overall increase in SNA numbers nationally, “individual schools are losing vital supports that are essential to pupils' safety, participation, wellbeing and access to education”.

Referencing the NCSE’s criteria for the requirements of an SNA, Cllr Forde said it “narrowly interprets" the role as “limited to primary care needs” and fails to reflect the “broader, practical supports SNAs provide in areas such as emotional regulation, communication, engagement and inclusion”.

Calling on the NSCE to ensure no child “loses SNA support” for the coming academic year, Cllr Forde also requested that it “update existing policy to reflect modern inclusive education practice and the practical supports that SNAs provide”, “take into account the views of parents and school staff and all stakeholders”, and “provide sufficient funding and resourcing to meet the growing needs of students requiring additional supports”.

While Cllr Forde’s motion received the support of his colleagues, that support came with one qualification.

Requesting that the motion be amended to include assessments for children in pre-school, Cllr Barbara Anne Murphy said this would ensure supports were in place by “the time they get to junior infants”.

The motion was carried with the amendment and will now be forwarded to the NCSE for review.