Jobs blow for pupil support workers
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HIGHLAND Council’s planned shake-up of its services for pupils with additional support needs (ASN) is beginning to bite.
Pupils Support Assistants (PSA) in Sutherland and elsewhere were this week told that their jobs will no longer exist as the cost-cutting exercise starts to move forward.
PSAs are employed in the classroom to help pupils who have a wide range of learning and physical needs.
The move has raised fears over how schools will cope with some pupils with more complex needs known to become violent occasionally.
One full-time PSA in an East Sutherland school said she and colleagues had been “shocked” to receive letters informing them that their posts were to go.
The woman, who did not want to be named, said: “We got a letter last Thursday to say we are going to lose our jobs and we are all in shock. It’s all set to roll out in May.”
A local teacher, who also did not want to be named for fear of reprisal, said: “Parents and teachers are very concerned as we are barely coping with our current provision and these cuts will pose a health and safety risk to all pupils and staff as well as having a huge effect academically.”
A redesign of the service, which costs £36.1 million annually, was rubberstamped by north councillors at a budget meeting in February.
They were told that there are currently around 13,461 primary and secondary in the Highland Council area with an identified ASN need – well above the national average.
The authority feels that the service is “underperforming” with other councils achieving “improved outcomes”.
As well as the reduction in PSAs, the shake-up involves specialist Additional Support Needs teachers focusing on upskilling classroom teachers.
PSAs affected are not being offered redundancy but are being invited to apply for other roles within the council with the authority “confident” there is enough opportunities for all affected staff.
MP Jamie Stone said he had received a number of approaches on the issue from concerned constituents.
Although education is a devolved issue, he has written to Scottish Education Secretary John Swinney asking him to look into the government’s funding package to Highland Council with a view to identifying any underspend that might be used to
He said: “Highland councillors are faced with having to make desperately difficult decisions, and this is why I am trying to help by writing to the Scottish Government who fund the Highland Council.
“As a parent I understand just how important education support staff are. They can make all the difference and we must support them.”
A Highland Council spokeswoman said that a phased approach to the changes was being adopted with the “overspend in PSAs” being addressed as a first step.”
Cllr John Finlayson Chair of the Council’s Care, Learning and Housing Committee, said: “We will continue to target support to those pupils with greatest needs and there will be no reduction in the quality of support given to our pupils with significant and complex support needs.”
