BECOMING a one to one personal assistant for children with disabilities could be a “viable” option for Teaching Assistants who lose their jobs a councillor has said.

At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Health and Care committee which scrutinises Social Services on Thursday, 19 December as the committee received an update report on the developments that have taken place within the Children’s Integrated Disability Service (IDS) over the last year.

The service provides care packages to supporting children and families that most require specialist support.

Senior manager for children’s services carer and support, Gavin Williams explained that the “rurality of Powys” and the spread of resources provided a “challenge” in finding personal assistants capable of providing the support once a care package had been agreed.

Mr Williams said: “We have some really skilled workers who are experienced in where they would look for that support.

“Teaching assistants (TA’s) are a godsend in terms of becoming that personal assistant especially over holidays and weekend periods,

“The links between ourselves and the special schools are valuable not only for a child to have education but to access support outside of school.”

He explained that if personal assistants could no be found the service would need to “consider” different avenues of finding the staff.

Mr Williams: “For example offering care via an agency.

“In terms of cost effectiveness that’s less effective and you can’t guarantee consistency of care, that would be our next step if that need was still identified as not being met.”

Committee chairwoman Conservative Amanda Jenner said: “That’s an interesting point on TA’s obviously they have time in the summer and have the skillset.

“There are so many pressures in schools and there are bound to be schools in the next year or so going through management of change processes and TA maybe being made redundant.”

Cllr Jenner asked if ther were opportunities for TA’s who are thinking of changing their role but don’t work in special schools to receive the required training to become a personal assistant?

Cllr Jenner said: “That could be a really viable alternative job for them if they are unable to carrying on working in a school.”

Head of children’s services service Sharon Powell said: “There is collaborative working with education.

“We have had staff move from education to children’s service and the other way around as well.

“It is fluid, we encourage staff to work across the council where there is an interest.”

Cllr Jenner asked whether human resources were aware of the situation.

Ms Powell said: “I can raise that with them, so they are aware of it.”

The committee noted the report.