Fórsa has formally endorsed the proposed Special Needs Assistant (SNA) National Workforce Development Plan (NWDP). The proposal sets out a new vision for the provision of supports for students with additional educational needs.

The plan was this week endorsed by the union’s Education DEC (Divisional Executive Committee) and is the first of its kind. The plan is to be developed by the Department of Education in conjunction with Fórsa, and other stakeholders, over the next two years.

For the last decade or more, we have been asking the Department of Education to recognise the development of the role of the SNA and to recognise them as a professional group of staff. They play a unique role in assisting students who otherwise would not be able to complete their school career, and they do this in many varied ways.

The Workforce Development Plan will address many of the issues we have raised over recent years, including a new minimum qualification, additional recognition, a redeployment scheme, changes to Garda vetting procedures and necessary and welcome standardisation of best practice.

Fórsa also welcomes the decision to cease using the term “scheme” to describe the SNA staff group. This paves the way for the development of a service-based approach to the provision of SNA supports to students.

We will work constructively with the department and other stakeholders to ensure that a new future is delivered for our SNA members and, most importantly, for their students. This new approach is a very positive development for SNAs, and has the potential to deliver meaningful, long-lasting change. Fórsa will do everything we can to deliver that positive change.

The Department of Education is to establish a steering group to oversee the process by which Fórsa will be represented. A stakeholder group will be established, including advocacy groups, parents’ associations and others with an interest in special education.

A second SNA stakeholder group will be established to enable discussion and consultation with SNAs. Working groups will be established on each of the five strands of the NWDP, those being:

1. The review and development of the SNA role

2. Establishment of a Quality Assurance Framework

3. Establishment of a SNA Learning and Development programme

4. Supporting SNA recruitment, retention and diversity

5. Development of a communications strategy

The Workforce Plan will be based on evidence and best practice. The department is to conduct a survey of all 20,000 SNAs early next year. The 2024 survey will be the largest research exercise, on the role of the SNA, undertaken in Ireland and the resulting data will inform the development of the NWDP.

Fórsa has already agreed that this process will encompass the establishment of a redeployment scheme, education and training needs as well as fresh discussions on the use of the “72-hour” obligation, which requires SNAs to be available to work an additional 72 hours each year.

Andy Pike is Fórsa’s Head of Education. The union’s education division represents more than 16,000 non-teaching staff in the education sector.