The Regional Secretary for Social Solidarity assured today that the support to children and youngsters with special education needs "is safeguarded" in the Azores for the current year. In 2014, this measure has already covered four hundred beneficiaries, with a global amount of 600 thousand Euros.

Commenting on the rumours about alleged problems in the allocation of support, Andreia Cardoso stressed that parent "have no need to worry," assuring that it is a right of children and youngsters with special educational needs; therefore, "we will continue to guarantee it."

Nevertheless, the Regional Secretary clarified that the subsidy, whose maximum monthly ceiling is set at 290 Euros per beneficiary, "is a right of parents and children; it is neither a financial support measure for companies, nor there is any protocol signed with any company."

Speaking to journalists, Andreia Cardoso stressed that in order to ensure greater transparency, the Social Security and the Department of Education "have introduced various procedures to ensure the allocation of support to children and youngsters with special education needs."

"These procedures are primarily intended to prevent the infringement of the rules on the awarding of a subsidy to children with special education needs," emphasised the Regional Secretary.

In this regard, the government official said "if schools are able to provide adequate support to children, they are, in the first instance, the entity that should provide it."

"If a certain school does not meet the necessary conditions, it is required to bear evidence that it does not have the adequate resources to provide support. Children will be then referred to the Social Security services. Under this support measure, the support to children with special education needs will be provided by private companies," said Andreia Cardoso.