Paul Kavanagh

Statement on summer schemes at special schools Summer schemes at NI special schools will not take place this year, due to concerns about the adequacy of health care provision for vulnerable participating children. This decision has been taken solely on safety grounds. We deeply regret it and fully understand that it will be very distressing for children and parents. The Education Authority has engaged repeatedly with the Department of Health (DOH) over several months in an attempt to avoid this situation. We have made clear that on-site nursing cover at the summer schemes would be required to enable them to be safely held this year. The Department of Health has confirmed this week that this would not be available. On that basis, only one decision can be responsibly made for this summer. We acknowledge the pressures facing health service colleagues. We will continue to engage with them to resolve the underlying and long-standing issue of health care provision for special school pupils. Our firm view is that consistent provincewide and year-round nurse-led provision for all special schools is required. Its current absence – in the context of greater complexity of health needs - has created growing pressures and concerns for the welfare of children in term time. The risks are much greater in the summer months when there is inevitably reduced staffing availability for summer schemes, with the schools themselves being closed. Pending the establishment of a permanent year-round nurse-led service, this year’s summer schemes could only safely proceed with the short-term measure of on-site nursing cover. That has now been ruled out by health service colleagues. We will continue to work with DoH and the wider HSC system to secure permanent nurse-led cover for schools. Our absolute priority must continue to be the welfare and safety of children and young people in our care. The following factors help set the context for the decision announced today: 📌The complexity of health needs for children and young people in special schools has increased while health service provision for schools has been reduced. 📌 Health care issues for special schools include nurse-led health care cover, as well as training and oversight for school staff with health-related responsibilities for pupils - including tasks like epilepsy rescue medication, diabetes care, supporting children with tracheotomy and so on. Greater assurance is needed that assistants have delegated authority from the health service for these tasks and responsibilities. 📌 Health provision concerns and risks are heightened for summer schemes, as scheme staff will not be as familiar as term time school staff with the individual children and their needs. Long-standing staffing and governance challenges for special school summer schemes therefore compound the potential health risks.