Fórsa secures clarification over SNA reallocation
by Bernard Harbor
 

The Department of Education and Skills has clarified that special needs assistants (SNAs) who are reallocated on a temporary basis during the Covid-19 emergency will not be reassigned into nursing or front line care roles, as was suggested in some media reports yesterday.

 

In an email to Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan, sent just before 10.00pm last night (Wednesday), a senior education department official confirmed that reassignments were designed to facilitate “the assignment of SNAs into community services for children with a disability” and that “SNAs may be asked to provide remote supports to families of children they are familiar with.”

 

The clarification came after Fórsa intervened on foot of media reports and political statements that said SNAs might be reallocated to medical or nursing roles.

 

Fórsa’s head of education Andy Pike said there was no question of SNAs taking on nursing, medical or nursing assistant roles, for which they were unqualified. “Instead, the department says SNAs will generally be reassigned from school-based work to continue important supports to children with special needs, who are now isolated in their homes,” he said.

 

In its clarification the department confirmed that this was set out “in all documentation that has issued from this department,” including the official circular on temporary reallocation. 

 

“Alteration to the current arrangements set out in that documentation will not be considered without further engagement and discussion with Fórsa,” it said.  

 

The union is now geared up to intervene to resolve problems if inappropriate work is assigned to an SNA. Fórsa members can contact their branch representative or email the union HERE.

 

Any reassignments will be for 12 weeks during which SNAs would be under the line management of the HSE.

 

However, measures already in place guarantee that SNAs who are reassigned will continue to be employed – and paid by – their existing employer. And they will return to their existing employer and role once the temporary transfer is over.

 

Staff who are on sick leave, or are self-isolating on medical advice, will not be reassigned. Those with childcare and other caring commitments can be asked to work at home.

 

The reassignments are part of a public service-wide mobilisation to meet the challenges posed by the coronavirus. All Government departments and agencies have been instructed to identify staff who can be reassigned, on a temporary basis, to areas of greatest need during the crisis.

 

Read about temporary reallocations HERE.

 

Read Fórsa’s FAQ document HERE.

 

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