1. Managing Special Needs Assistants

2. Legislation Allocation Recruitment Appointment Contract Roles Management Review Special Needs Assistants

3. Education Act, 1998 Equal Status Act, 2000 Education Welfare Act, 2000 EPSEN Act, 2004 Education for Persons with Disabilities Act, 2005 Legislation

4. Determined by: Significant Medical Needs Significant Physical Impairment Behaviour - dangerous to self - dangerous to others Care Needs – Key reference point Allocation

5. EducationPosts.ie & one line in local paper Referees (relevant) required Short Listing Deadline for applications - 2 weeks after advert Selection Board (3) Notice of Interview & Job Description Interview Criteria & Marking Scheme Panel for future Appointments Recruitment

6. DES - Circular 07/2002 & 03/2003 Selection Panel recommends to Board of Management Board of Management ratifies Retain collated Marking Sheets Medical & Garda Clearance Certificates Contract Appointment

7. DES Circular 15/2005 Job Description Confidentiality Clause Appointment Form Leave – maternity/sick/Leave of absence - Circular 18/2004 & 58/2006 Seniority – Circular 59/2006 Contract

8. Principal/Special Needs Co-ordinator Induction & Mentoring Monitoring Adhering to Contract Allocation/Rotation Training Individual Education Plans (IEP) Preventing/Managing Conflict Role of Principal

9. Care Needs – medical, physical, behavioural Non-teaching – Assist Child & Class Teacher Preparing/restoring resources for child’s learning Preparing/enabling the child to participate in learning Supervises & Escorting child’s movements on school campus including withdrawal Supporting & enabling child to have optimum access to the curriculum Staff Member – school policy & practice Clearly outlined in DES Circular 15/2005 Role of SNA

10. Clarity of Role/ Duties Reporting initially to Class Teacher Relationship with Teacher Relationship with Parent Yard Supervision/Break-times Staff Meetings – all/some/none? Record Keeping - filing Management 1

11. SNA Contract Times Full Time Post – 100% Contract Max. 6 hours 24 minutes – 32 hours per week Infant Day – 83% Contract Max 5 hours 18 minutes – 23.3 hours per week 12 Extra Days Maybe used before and after school term Some of this time maybe transferred to increasing before & after school supervision time Some schools spread the 12 extra days over the 183 days giving an additional 24 minutes per day 12 extra days for part-time contracts on pro-rata basis Management 2

12. 500 Schools – Review of Documentation by post 100 Schools - 10 days notice by telephone before visit Oct 2008 – Feb 2009 2 visits - 2 different teams SNA Review 1

13. Visit 1 – External SENO, NEPS & DES Review documentation ‘Talk’ to Principal Visit 2 – Inspector & DES Visit Classrooms Observe & Record - Frequency, Duration & Intensity ‘Talk’ to Class Teacher & SNA 1-2 Days Duration SNA Review 2

14. Evaluation of Psychological & any other Reports SEN Pupil Records/Files Individual Education Plans SNA Timetable(s) Increasing/Consistent/Diminishing needs School Interventions & Support already in place Parental Input Outcome of Review communicated to schools within 6 weeks SNA Review 3

15. Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) Schools outside NEPS scheme 2% of Pupils – SCPA - €330 in total Psychologists recognised by NEPS only – New List www.neps.iewww.neps.ie Other Psychologists – contact NEPS National Educational Psychological Service

16. Advice & Support In your School Training Courses Responding to needs www.sess.ie Special Education Supports Service

17. Focal Scoir Tabharaigí Tacaíocht, Misneach agus Spreagadh dá chéile Discussion: Policies & Templates: Principal Advice: networking@ippn.ie www.ippn.ie advice@ippn.ie 1 890 21 22 23