>”One worry SNAs have working in mainstream schools is that the NCSE is applying quite a strict interpretation of the current criteria for students receiving SNA support to restrict it only to those students who have *physical care needs*,” he said.
I hope people understand how completely unworkable it would be to restrict to this in practice. It would be functionally impossible for schools to adhere to it and irresponsible for them to even try.
Edit –
This is going to turn into a situation where staff will be obliged to waste time and energy they can’t afford just to pretend they’re not actually doing this stuff anyway, fully aware they’ll be completely hung out to dry if anyone outside the school notices, simply because it can’t be withheld with a clear conscience.
It’s not trivial little feelgood stuff, this kind of support can be the difference between a child retaining the ability to speak, and losing it, for good.
Foreign-Entrance-255 on
So cuts to SNAs but unless I’m mistaken there is no other measures being taken to ameliorate the damage to the inclusion programs that were already underfunded and half arsed by the Dept.
andtellmethis on
According to this year’s budget, there were going to be an additional 1,717 SNA roles for the 2026/2027 school year. The math ain’t mathing for me. As the parent of an SEN child who only got a place in mainstream in September, full time SNA hours will be the difference between my child attending school and not attending school. It’s really concerning.
3 commenti
>”One worry SNAs have working in mainstream schools is that the NCSE is applying quite a strict interpretation of the current criteria for students receiving SNA support to restrict it only to those students who have *physical care needs*,” he said.
I hope people understand how completely unworkable it would be to restrict to this in practice. It would be functionally impossible for schools to adhere to it and irresponsible for them to even try.
Edit –
This is going to turn into a situation where staff will be obliged to waste time and energy they can’t afford just to pretend they’re not actually doing this stuff anyway, fully aware they’ll be completely hung out to dry if anyone outside the school notices, simply because it can’t be withheld with a clear conscience.
It’s not trivial little feelgood stuff, this kind of support can be the difference between a child retaining the ability to speak, and losing it, for good.
So cuts to SNAs but unless I’m mistaken there is no other measures being taken to ameliorate the damage to the inclusion programs that were already underfunded and half arsed by the Dept.
According to this year’s budget, there were going to be an additional 1,717 SNA roles for the 2026/2027 school year. The math ain’t mathing for me. As the parent of an SEN child who only got a place in mainstream in September, full time SNA hours will be the difference between my child attending school and not attending school. It’s really concerning.