The Government’s Summer Provision 2020 will provide education programmes for children with complex needs over the summer, with three strands with different options for parents, students and schools.
- The first is in-school or home-based supports by teachers and SNAs to help prevent regression among children with special needs.
- The second is an opportunity for all 890 DEIS schools to provide summer camps, including a numeracy and literacy programme for primary pupils and a programme of re-engagement for post-primary students.
- The third is Health Service Executive-led. It will aim to provide summer camp type supports to up to 1,200 children with complex needs.
The following children with special needs will be eligible for the first strand of the Summer Provision as part of in-school and home-based programmes:
- Students with autism or severe and profound learning difficulties.
- Children in special classes in primary schools and special schools
- Children transitioning from early years into a special class in primary school or special school.
- Primary pupils in mainstream classes who present with Down syndrome, students who are deaf or most severe hard of hearing, students who are blind or have most severe visual impairment, children with a moderate general learning disability or those diagnosed with a severe emotional behavioural difficulty.
If possible, school transport will be provided to support the programme where appropriate. Departments are also finalising plans to provide the Schools Meals Programme for schools taking part in Summer Provision 2020.
A dedicated online registration system for families of children with special needs to access Summer Provision is being made available here.
Full details of the programmes and published material is available gov.ie/summerprovision