An SNA has called on the government to provide more special needs assistants with permanent contracts, saying that job uncertainty has led to stress and anxiety for those within the profession.
Linda O’ Sullivan, a working SNA and representative for trade union Forsa, believes that SNAs have not received adequate recognition for their work in the past and that newly employed SNAs in particular are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to long term employment.
“Until you are further up the list in schools for a position of seniority, you never have a permanent role. I’m in my school four years and I’m still last in first out. We have to wait every year for the allocations to come out to see if we still have a job, which is absolutely ludicrous ,” Linda revealed to the Irish Mirror.
READ MORE: Dublin twins with severe autism facing sixth year with no school as desperate mum pleads for help
She adds that this has an impact on the daily lives of SNAs who are unsure whether they will have a job to return to in September.
“I’ve had SNAs tell me this week that they’re trying to sign for their mortgages but have to wait until they find out whether they still have a job. It’s historic in the Department that we’re treated the way we are. We’re still seen as just the SNA scheme, not as professionals in our own right.”
SNA allocations for schools were temporarily scrapped at the start of the pandemic, but the workers still had to contend with the issue of redeployment during the first lockdown. An online leak in March 2020 revealed that the HSE was considering employing SNAs in care settings while schools were closed, despite SNAs not necessarily having medical training.
These plans were eventually halted after consultation with Fórsa, which represents over 9,000 special needs assistants nationwide.
A new professional course for SNAs was launched in UCD in late 2020 through funding by the Department of Education. The free programme spans ten months and offers SNAs the chance to study modules on communications and language, inclusion and the care of special needs students.
Linda belonged to the first stream of 500 graduates of the programme, which is offered online. However, she says that there is a reluctance towards giving the course proper accreditation.
“The Department of Education see no reason to accredit the UCD course. It’s farcical really. If it was 500 teachers or principals participating, you can be sure they would be awarded accreditation,” she says.
The integration of children with special needs in schools is an important and rewarding job that Linda believes is slowly but surely being recognised in Irish education.
“We have a very different role, but that doesn’t make it any less than just because we don’t teach,” she says.
“Teachers and principals are slowly starting to realise and respect the role we have. We have great support but there’s a historic mindset at present that we need to change,” Linda adds.
In response, a spokesperson for the Department of Education said: "Special needs assistants (SNAs) play a huge role in helping to ensure the inclusion of pupils with significant care needs in education and in school life. This was acknowledged in the Comprehensive Review of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme published by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in 2018.
"The review made a number of recommendations regarding SNAs, including the training needs of SNAs. In this regard, the NCSE recommended that a new national training programme at Level 5 of the National Qualification Framework be developed for existing SNAs who do not have the requisite level of training and for new SNAs on appointment. The NCSE also recommended that training tailored to the complex needs of some students would also be provided.
"The policy advice has been considered by the Department. It was decided that priority would be given to the development of a training programme for SNAs who may not have had a recent opportunity to access a training programme tailored to their role.
"The first national training programme for SNAs is now in place and it aims to enhance the knowledge, skills and expertise of SNAs whose work is central to the inclusion of students with additional care and complex needs in school life. The programme is fully funded by the Department and delivered at no cost to the SNA.
"As this is the first programme, it is appropriate to take the time to review outcomes and this will inform the future approach to ongoing training and professional development of SNAs. Part of that consideration will include accreditation.
"Raising the minimum qualification for appointment as a special needs assistant has been raised by the FORSA union and has been referred to the Workplace Relations Commission. The Department is engaging in that process.
"The recruitment and appointment of SNAs is a matter for each individual school authority. In addition, the actual requirements for a post will vary depending on the specific needs of the children and the school to which the SNA is to be appointed. The Department does not believe that the existing minimum qualifications has impacted on the calibre of person appointed. It is also the case that people with experience and/or higher qualifications than the minimum are often the successful candidate in competitions held by schools.
"The Department has also agreed to a review of the SNA contract which was agreed as part of the Building Momentum national pay agreement. The Department is of the view that the forthcoming review of the SNA contract should be carried out and implemented before we advance the decision making on minimum qualifications.
"The forthcoming review of the SNA contract, along with the new training programme for SNAs that is now in place, will help to enhance the experience of children with special needs in our schools."
Further information on the SNA training programme is available here .
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter.
