Cut to numbers may be revisited [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 22 June 2011
A CUT to the number of special needs assistants for children with autism at St Senan’s Primary School may be revisited after complaints about the appeals process.
The Irish Examiner highlighted yesterday how the appeal lodged by the school last October was not even considered but the decision was only notified to staff and parents last week.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) had said the loss of SNAs could not be considered within the appeals process because the overall number of SNAs at the autism unit for 18 pupils was above those set out in Department of Education policy.
But the school insists any SNAs employed were properly sanctioned by the NCSE or the department to meet the children’s needs, based on reports of health professionals. It also accused the NCSE of shifting the goalposts by allowing it to submit an appeal eight months ago and now saying it was inappropriate to use the process
Full Story: www.examiner.ie
