SPECIAL NEEDS ASSISTANTS who lose their jobs due to falling enrolment or reduced care needs will soon be able to be redeployed to a school which has a vacant post.

Special needs assistants (SNAs) support pupils who have care needs resulting from a disability, behavioural difficulties or a significant medical issue. 

They are allocated to schools to work with children who have specific care needs and they provide non-teaching care support.

Principals and/or board of managements deploy SNAs within schools to ensure that students with the greatest level of need receive the greatest level of supports.

There are over 23,000 SNAs working in schools across the country.

Education Minister Helen McEntee and Minister of State with responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion, Michael Moynihan, today confirmed that work is underway on a redeployment scheme for SNAs.

The SNA Redeployment scheme will allow SNAs in posts which may no longer be required for reasons such as falling enrolments, reduced care needs or changing demographics to be redeployed to a school which has a vacant post.

The scheme will be operated by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and its CEO John Kearney remarked that it will “not only facilitate allocation of SNA support where it is most needed but will also build capacity in the SNA workforce”.

“The scheme ensures valuable skills are not lost as the level of need shifts between schools,” said Kearney.

Minister McEntee meanwhile said it is “crucial that experienced SNAs can be redeployed to a school where a vacant post arises, allowing them to stay in the sector and ensuring they can continue to share their skills and experience”.

She added that the scheme will “increase job security for SNAs, and encourage prospective SNAs to enter the workforce”.

“Crucially, the scheme will benefit children and school communities by ensuring that the SNA workforce is agile, and in a position to respond to emerging needs,” said McEntee.

Elsewhere, Minister Moynihan said the scheme will “further bolster how we support children and schools by ensuring SNAs can stay within the workforce and do what they do best in supporting children with additional needs”.