SNAG says it “welcomes” the increase to permanent Teaching and Special Needs Learning Support Assistants in schools. 

A statement from SNAG follows below:

The stability offered by permanent contracts can only result in better  continuity of care for the children and young adults who are receiving these services by  these dedicated professionals, all deserving of permanent contracts which offer stability.  SNAG recognises this as a very positive step in the right direction and hopes to see this  trend extend to other sectors concerned with disability provision and services across the  board to ensure that service users are provided with continuity of care within all  departments. 

This forward step highlights the need to address more stable and permanent contracts and  positions for health and care workers, as an example, to ensure that service users are not  affected by disruption to continuity of care and service provision, and urges the Government  to tackle all departments involved in the delivery of disability services and provision to  conduct similar reviews and audits and reach similar conclusions, which ultimately have a  positive effect both on staff and most importantly, on the service user. 

SNAG has been contacted by a number of concerned care workers informing us that it is  their understanding that a number of employees will be made redundant shortly. Others are  expressing serious concerns about the uncertainty of their contracts. This is a worrying trend  that will have an enormous detrimental effect on the continuity of care and service provision  afforded service users and their families. 

SNAG will remain in constant dialogue with all stakeholders about these issues and will  continue to raise them on behalf of all our members and all service users affected.