SNAs to help children with disabilities during crisis, Department of Education says

Children with a disability as the initial priority area in terms of temporary assignment of SNAs, the HSE said.

Wed, 01 Apr, 2020 - 14:21

Pádraig Hoare

Special needs assistants are to be deployed into the HSE’s children’s disability services while schools are closed, the Department of Education has said.

School principals, boards of management and ETBs have been asked by the Department to identify school staff who can be reassigned to critical work areas on a temporary basis, representative trade union Fórsa said.

Children with a disability as the initial priority area in terms of temporary assignment of SNAs, the HSE said.

SNAs temporarily reassigned to HSE children’s disability services will maintain contact with their regular allocated student and their family through video link, WhatsApp, Facetime, Zoom or other applications, Fórsa said.

These SNAs will be advising parents on setting up workstations, sharing the child’s familiar school schedule and sharing stories to help the child’s understanding of Covid–19. The same will apply if an SNA is asked to make contact with a new student and family.