SNAs to back students with disabilities using phones or laptops

Special needs assistants (SNAs) will be asked to provide support to students in receipt of Health Service Executive disability services, using phones or laptops, the trade union Fórsa has said.

In a bulletin to members on Tuesday it said it wanted to stress that as part of new redeployment arrangements “no SNA would be reassigned to work as a healthcare assistant, and no SNA is being reassigned to work in HSE elderly care services”.

The union said as part of the initiative special needs assistants would not be expected to meet students or hold face-to-face meetings. It said support to students would be delivered remotely.

The union said this could either be done through working in a HSE office or from home.

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There has been significant unease among special needs assistants and their union representatives at the role they would play under the Government’s plan to redeploy staff across the public service during the current Covid-19 crisis.

Earlier this month the union instructed special needs assistants not to co-operate with any reassignment as other than to remote support roles to assist students with special educational needs.

Fórsa said at the time it could not accept that any special needs assistant “should be compulsorily reassigned as a healthcare assistant – a role for which, in the vast majority of cases, they are not qualified”.

However, on Tuesday the union said the HSE had now finalised the details of a new service which special needs assistants would provide help during the school-closure period.

“SNAs will be asked to provide support to those students in receipt of HSE disability services by way of remote working through the use of telephones, smart phones or laptops. They will receive direction and information from a HSE point of contact who will be a clinician, such as a speech and language therapist, psychologist or occupational therapist who is familiar with the student and will explain what support each student and family might require. Some will need a quick call at certain points in the day, other students might require a longer period of face time. The HSE is responsible for providing advice, information and materials to be used in service delivery.

Types of supports needed are summarised by the HSE as:

• Advice on what typically works for the child in school
• Demonstration/advice /training on strategies to support the child's needs
• Support to develop a schedule to structure the child's day
• Social stories to support understanding of the public health emergency
• Support, advice and reinforcement to address behaviours that challenge
• Provide educational or therapeutic resources/materials in collaboration .

The union said that special needs assistants could use their own phone, tablet or laptop to carry out this work.

“SNAs will be matched with students, wherever possible this will be their own allocated student(s). If this is not possible, they may then be matched to work with new students. Students and families requiring the greatest level of support will be prioritised.”

The union said that the new reassignment move “allows SNAs to work with their students albeit in a modified or new role. SNAs can work safely, [as] this work can be carried out at home. There is a need for an induction meeting and again this can be done remotely. The reassignment is not a perfect option or outcome but it does allow SNAs to play an important role in supporting vulnerable students and families through this extremely difficult period.”