SNA Covid-19 reassignments to HSE

The HSE continues to contact SNAs to discuss allocating staff to students. The number of students linked with an SNA through the HSE process is now just over 600. Many more students are receiving support from their SNA through their school. This reassignment process will cease at the end of the school year.

Summer Educational Programme (July provision)

The Minister for Education and Skills announced on Wednesday (10th June) that the usual July provision would be expanded this year to include students with Down Syndrome and other students at greatest risk of regression due to the school closures.

Last year some 10,000 students in over 250 schools participated in the programme, with some 1,500 SNAs volunteering to work in July. The Cabinet will shortly approve the outline of an expanded programme for this year involving HSE staff providing therapy services within schools.

Fórsa has made clear that there are several key issues requiring clarification before this new programme commences, including guidance to schools on maintaining health and safety in respect of the risks posed by Covid-19.

Head of education Andy Pike said: “This guidance must be issued before any summer programme commences and we have highlighted the need for staff training in this area prior before the new service commences. Fórsa will be encouraging members to volunteer to work within the new summer programme on the basis that adequate health and safety measures are in place within each participating school.”

SNA surveys

Fórsa will be inviting SNA members to complete two important surveys in the coming weeks. The first will seek to collect information on the proportion of SNAs who were working with students remotely, through their own schools, during the period when schools were closed.

It will be important for the union to be able to communicate the extent to which SNAs were engaged in this work with SEN students, especially in the light of the small numbers of SNAs assigned through the HSE process.

The second survey will collect information on the proportion of SNAs who would be willing to work within the new summer educational programme (the new July provision) if their school was to participate.

We will circulate information on the new voluntary summer programme next week along with the survey. We encourage all our SNA members to take part in the surveys.

Read Fórsa’s advice on returning to your workplace HERE.

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