SESS Handbook for Advisors, Oct. 2012

Special Education Support Service

Handbook for Advisors

V. Oct. 2012

Contents

1. What is the SESS?

1.1. SESS Mission Statement

2. The Work of the Advisor

2.1. The Role of the Advisor

2.2. Who Commissions the Advisor’s Work?

3. Guidelines, Development and Training for Advisors

3.1. Guidelines for School Visits

3.2. Guidelines for Event Administration

3.3. Child Protection Guidelines

3.4. ICT Usage Guidelines

4. Planning and Reporting

4.1. Monthly Planner, monthly Diary and Weekly Planner

4.2. Units of Work

4.3. Annual Report

4.4. Supports Scheme Administration and Procedures

5. Expenses

5.1. How do I claim payment, travel and subsistence?

Appendices

Appendix 1: Guidelines for Seminar Administration

Appendix 2: Anti-Virus Guidelines

Appendix 3: Extract of Sample Monthly Planner

Appendix 5: Sample Weekly Planner

Appendix 6: Sample Units of Work

Appendix 7: Supports Scheme Procedures

Appendix 8: Sample Extract, Claim Form of Expenses

Appendix 9: A Summary of Current Travel and Subsistence Rates

1. What is the SESS?

The role of the Special Education Support Service (SESS) is to enhance the quality of learning and teachingin relation to special educational provision. The service co-ordinates, develops and delivers a range of professional development initiatives and support structures for school personnel working with students with special educational needs in mainstream primary and post-primary schools, special schools and special classes. The SESS, which is located in Cork Education Support Centre, operates under the remit of the Teacher Education Section (TES) of the Department of Education and Skills.

1.1. SESS Mission Statement

‘Through our work in supporting school personnel, we promote the acceptance of the individuality, potential and worth of every pupil with special educational needs. As a service that acknowledges and values difference, we work with schools to secure these principles and to provide high quality continuing professional development and support structures for teachers.

We are committed to combining a flexible and person-centred approach to the development of teachers’ knowledge and skills with theoretical and practical perspectives so that pupils with special educational needs are enabled to reach their full potential and be included in the whole life of the school.’

The SESS Website ( provides a comprehensive overview of continuing professional development (CPD) initiatives, including:

  1. In-school seminars and school visits
  2. Local and regional seminars in Education Centres and other venues
  3. Various projects, such as Inclusive Science, Equality of Challenge, Enabling Schools, and Kids on the Block.
  4. Funding of professional development through the Supports Scheme
  5. Resources
  6. e-Learning
  7. Book borrowing on-line.

2. The Work of the Advisor

The role and work of the Advisor is varied in line with the needs of SESS at any given time.

2.1. The Role of the Advisor

This SESS Advisor reports to the Director of the SESS or his/her nominee. He/she will undertake tasks such as:

  • Provide and facilitate professional development programmes with regards to the learning and teaching of students with identified special educational needs and/or with ASDs and /or on the application of behavioural principles in the implementation of the curriculum for students with special educational needs.
  • Assist in the design of innovative and effective modes of delivery of continuing professional development programmes.
  • Engage in individual schools visits in order to increase teachers’ understanding of students with identified special educational needs, ASDs and/or on the nature of behaviour as well as their understanding of prevention, management and modification of behaviour.
  • Develop support materials and resources suitable for use with teachers.
  • Enable teachers to meet the needs of students with special educational needs through individualised planning, including behaviour planning
  • Support teachers in the implementation of the planning process.
  • Assist in the provision of continuing professional development of other SESS teams.
  • Assist in the development and piloting of innovative approaches to learning and teaching and in supporting teachers in the implementation of these approaches.
  • Promote and support capacity-building regionally and locally in order to develop sustainable supports for teachers.
  • Contribute to the maintenance and development of existing web-based support to support the integration of ICT into learning and teaching.
  • Compile and provide data and reports (including the recording of CPD support provided to schools) for the Director and her nominee on an on-going basis and as required.
  • Liaise and collaborate as appropriate with other Department of Education and Skills support services and agencies working with schools as appropriate.
  • Contribute to the evaluation of the operation of provision and co-operate with external evaluators of the service as required.
  • Participate in SESS team professional development opportunities and other team meetings
  • Carry out such other tasks as may be allocated by the Director or nominee from time to time

This list is not exhaustive and duties undertaken by the SESS Advisor may vary in accordance with emerging needs.

2.2. Who Commissions the Advisor’s Work?

All work for SESS Advisors is allocated and managed bythe Director, Deputy Directors and/or Assistant National Coordinators of the SESS. The SESS office, located in Cork Education Support Centre (CESC) checks, manages expenses and facilitates payment forAdvisors.

3. Guidelines,Development and Training for Advisors

The on-going development needs of Advisors will be ascertained by the Director, Deputy Director and/or relevant Assistant National Coordinators and appropriate training will be provided where deemed appropriate. The Advisors should be familiar with the following policies andguidelines – further outlined below - on school visits, child protection, seminar administration, and data security and management, and internet and e-mail usage. Further clarification on these is available if necessary from the Director, Deputy Director and/or relevant Assistant National Coordinators if necessary.

3.1. Guidelines for School Visits

1. The principal is always the first point of contact for a school visit. The Advisor, on arrival at the school, makes himself/herself known to the Principal.

2. Prior to the visit the Advisor telephones the school to make the necessary appointment. The principal may nominate a teacher to have this discussion. This conversation should try, in so far as possible, to establish:

  • Priority needs of school /teachers

The Advisor can ascertain the needs through a series of pertinent questions

  • Realistic expectations of the visit

It is important to create a realistic expectation of the visit, as it may not be possible or prudent to cover all that is sought. A second-visit may be appropriate and this can be indicated if necessary, by way of reassurance

  • Boundaries regarding role of the Advisor:

It is critical to maintain the core aim of the SESS to enhance teaching and learning through the provision of support in your field. This will reduce the possibility of being dragged into other specialisms, interpersonal difficulties, resource issues etc. You can acknowledge their difficulties and empathise but cannot enflame. It is ok to say ‘No’

An Advisor does not have an evaluative role-it is a support role. That must be conveyed to the Principal and staff. It is important that SNAs work under the direction of the teacher and you do not meet SNAs on their own. The SESS do not have a role in relation to parents. In terms of classroom observation, it is important to state that you are there in relation to looking at the context in a classroom as opposed to observation of any particular child.

  • Format for the visit

It is important to establish whom you are going to meet, the support situation and time-frame prior to the visit. If you have any suggestions as to how the visit may be structured it is better to arrange it prior to you appearance at the school.

  • Starting and finishing time

In so far as is possible the integrity of the school day is to be maintained. Schools however, in deciding a starting time, may prefer time to settle their pupils before engaging with a support service.

3. The visit proceeds as agreed. Some flexibility may be required. Sometimes, what is agreed turns out not to be what is required. Teachers and Advisor may sometimes only realise this as the visit begins.

4. After the school visit the Advisor completes the school visit form and sends a copy to the relevant Assistant National Co-ordinator. It is important to include all the names of the school personnel with whom contact was made in the school.

5. Additional Material to be sent to the school must be sanctioned by the relevant Assistant National Co-ordinator prior to being sent to the school. No advice, other than approved resources or materials, should be sent by e-mail without the approval of an Assistant National Co-ordinator.

6. Following a school visit, the ‘School Visit Follow-Up Form’ should be submitted to line manager who commissioned the work as soon as possible. Such school visits most commonly arise from applications to the SESS Supports Scheme and the procedures for administrating this scheme are outlined in the Appendices.

3.2. Guidelines for Event Administration

Advisors may, from time to time, be in charge of administration and organisation at other SESS events, such as seminars or courses.

In such cases, Advisors should represent SESS in the best possible and be helpful and courteous to participants and presenters at all times. Administration tasks which are required, such as the collation of evaluations and the sending of these and rolls to the SESS office.

At such events Advisors should not provide advice or personal opinion that is contrary to SESS/DES policy. In the case of Advisors being unsure of appropriate responses to queries, the contact details of the teachers should be kept and the query referred to the relevant ANC or Deputy Director.

Further guidelines on seminar administration are available on Appendix 1.

3.3. Child Protection Guidelines

Advisors must familiarise themselves with the document ‘Child Protection Guidelines for Persons Employed by the Department of Education and Science’ which was issued in 2007 and, in relation to child protection, adhere to the principles and procedures laid out in these guidelines. The Guidelines outline the ‘Basic Principles’ as follows:

  • The over-riding concerns of the Department in respect of any allegation of child abuse must be the welfare and protection of the child and ensuring that the information received is transmitted to the appropriate authorities in order that the matter may be investigated.
  • Any allegation made to the Department of physical, sexual or other abuse of children, regardless of whether the alleged incident took place in the school or not, should be dealt with as a matter of utmost seriousness. Sensitivity and understanding will be required in communicating with a complainant, particularly where he/she is the alleged victim or a parent or relative of the alleged victim.
  • Statutory responsibility for child protection rests with the HSE which operates under the aegis of the Department of Health and Children. It is not the role of the Department of Education & Science to investigate individual allegations. Rather, the role of this Department is to provide guidance to schools and other education organisations in implementing child protection policy, to refer any allegations received to the school/organisation for attention, to share information received with the HSE and to ensure that proper procedures, in accordance with the Children First Guidelines, are followed in all cases.
  • While the primary concern at all times must be the welfare and protection of children, in the interest of natural justice, staff must also be alert to the right of every person to his/her good name. An allegation made to the Department may be false or malicious, made against the wrong person or may be a misunderstanding. Staff of the Department should respond to allegations according to the procedures set out below without making any judgement on the substance or truth of such allegations.
  • Information regarding alleged or suspected child abuse received by Department staff should only be shared on a need to know basis in the interests of the child and of ensuring due process in investigating specific cases. Specific details in relation to an individual allegation received by a Department staff member should not be discussed with anyone other than the Principal Officer or equivalent Line Manager to whom the staff member reports or, as the case may be, the Principal Officer who is responsible for pursuing the matter with the school/organisation.

3.4. ICT Usage Guidelines

SESS has overall responsibility for the security and management of all records, correspondence and data collected and generated by SESS personnel, along with Internet and e-mail usage in the course of SESS-related work.

This policy will guide practices which ensure the security of the data and facilitate its long-term retrieval and availability to the SESS. It also outlines policy on responsible computer use, including Internet and e-mail practices.

Data Security

All SESS personnel have responsibility for the security, confidentiality and protection of electronic data over which he or she has control, and must take reasonable measures to give effect to this responsibility. In this regard, it is the responsibility of all personnel to ensure that:

  • All data is regularly backed up to a storage device independent of the user’s normal computer (at least once a week), and in a manner approved by the SESS
  • Anti-virus software is up-to-date and correctly configured
  • Anti-virus practices, as advised by the SESS, are adhered to as much as is practicable (see guidelines in Appendix 2)
  • Laptops and other devices where data is stored are not left in places particularly vulnerable to theft – e.g. on the seat of a car
  • Sensitive data is not left on devices vulnerable to loss – e.g. on a key-ring mounted ‘memory-stick’, or mobile phone, etc
  • Only SESS personnel have access to data
  • Any loss or suspected compromise of sensitive data must be immediately notified to the Director.

Data Availability and Retrieval

The SESS must ensure that all data generated by the service can be found and retrieved in both the short- and long-term. In this regard, it is the responsibility of personnel to ensure that:

  • Filing practices are implemented which will facilitate the easy finding and retrieval of data

Personnel maintain a coherent filing system, contained within one ‘top-level’ folder in the ‘My Documents’ area of the Windows system

Files are clearly named, with differentiated words

The computer’s default e-mail filing system is used

  • All data must be handed over to the SESS, in retrievable order, before termination of work with the service

Responsible Computer Use, including Internet and E-mail Use

While use of the computer, e-mail and Internet system is primarily intended for work-related activities, incidental and occasional personal use is acceptable within reasonable limits.

Illegal duplication of software or violation of copyright laws by the duplication or sharing of software, or the distribution of copyrighted material, should not occur.

Unless notified otherwise, authorisation for the installation of additional software should be sought from the Director.

The SESS prohibits the use of its Internet and e-mail system in ways that are disruptive or offensive to others, including sexually explicit messages, images and cartoons, ethnic slurs, racial comments, or anything that could be construed as harassment or shows disrespect for others, defames or slanders others, or otherwise harms the SESS or its staff. The computer or Internet system may not be used to access websites that contain any such material. E-mail and Internet access should be used in such a way that all transmissions, whether internal or external, are accurate, appropriate, ethical and lawful. In this regard, all communication via the SESS Internet and e-mail system is monitorable.

The computer and peripherals will be returned to the SESS at the end of agreed period of work or in the event of a user resigning from the post.

A common e-mail format is used throughout the service and should not be personalised. All outgoing e-mails should have a clear ‘Subject’ title. Private e-mail addresses held in SESS databases should not be accessible to third parties in e-mails (e.g. ensure that outgoing messages are ‘blind carbon copied’ in group emails).

4. Planning and Reporting

Advisors plan and report on their work in accordance with procedures. The following are sent to the relevant ANC or designated person, and copied to the office () as follows:

4.1. Monthly Planner, monthly Diary and Weekly Planner

  • Monthly Planner – at the start of each month, outlining scheduled work for the month (sample Appendix 3)
  • Monthly Diary – at the end of each month, summarizing completed work (sample Appendix 4)
  • Weekly Planner – at the beginning of each week, outlining scheduled work for the week (sample Appendix 5).

4.2. Units of Work

Each working week should be divided into ‘units of work’. A “unit of work” is a substantive piece of work - i.e. a morning, afternoon or evening session of approximately 2.5 hours duration. The “units of work” should reflect the role of personnel e.g. Advisors should work a total of 10 units per week, of which a minimum of 7/8 units involve direct contact with schools, with the remainder being general administration,or research and development of support materials.

A ‘Monthly Summary of Units of Work’ should be completed at the end of each term and an ‘Annual Summary Units of Work’ at the end of the school year with the Annual Report. These are forwarded electronically to the designated SESS personnel, usually the team coordinator and to the SESS office.

There are three categories of Unit of Work

1) School Related (SR)

Examples of SR work include

  • working with staff, post-holder, group of teachers, individual teachers, group of schools both in-school and externally at workshops and conferences
  • provision of phone and e-mail support.
  • working on specific projects related to special education provision
  • assessing support-scheme applications

2) Planning and Preparation of Material (PPM)