Press release
Ministers Foley and Naughton welcome report on focus groups with school leaders on the role of special needs assistants
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Minister for Education Norma Foley TD and Minister of State with responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion, Government Chief Whip, Hildegarde Naughton TD have today announced the publication of ’The Role of Special Needs Assistants: Report on Focus Groups with School Leaders’.
The focus groups were attended by 250 school principals and deputy principals in Dublin, Carrick on Shannon, Navan, Waterford, Limerick and Athlone during January and February of this year.
These focus groups were organised to seek the views of school leaders on the role and duties of the SNA, learning and development for SNAs, issues around recruitment, retention and diversity and how best school leaders can communicate with SNAs in the school community.
The focus group report found that school principals and deputy principals hold SNAs in their schools in high regard for the important work they carry out. They acknowledged the important role that SNAs play, not only in the lives of the students that they work with, but also in the school community as a whole.
The focus group report will be used to inform decision-making for the SNA Workforce Development Plan, which is scheduled for completion in September 2025.
Minister Foley said:
“There are almost 22,000 special needs assistants working with children with care needs in our schools. This report shows they are a vital part of our school community and provide important support to students and teachers. It is noteworthy that a majority of school leaders agreed that their school would not function properly without SNA support.
“I would like to thank school leaders for taking time out of their busy schedules to engage with the focus groups. They have provided hugely valuable insights and experience which will help us to progress the forthcoming SNA Workforce Development Plan.”
Welcoming the publication of the report on the findings from these focus groups, Minister Naughton said:
“School leaders play a vital role in supporting the continuous growth and development of special needs assistants and fostering a positive environment for all members of the school community. This in turn delivers the best outcomes for the students with significant care needs in our schools.
“It is notable from the feedback from the focus groups that these principals and deputy principals acknowledge and value the work that SNAs carry out on a daily basis. I am grateful to school leaders for taking the time to participate in this important research.
“By way of next steps, I am particularly keen to ensure that the voice of the child is reflected in the SNA Workforce Development Plan. This engagement is now being progressed by my department, and I am excited to hear what children have to say about the important role of the SNA.”
A key positive communicated by the majority of participants in the focus groups was that the SNA is an additional adult who provides an extra ‘set of eyes and ears’ in both the classroom and the yard. It was noted that the SNA facilitates the student’s attendance and participation in class.
Participants advised that the SNA will often note behaviours that the teacher might not see and can quickly intervene to prevent an escalation of behaviours of concern.
The importance of communication between SNAs and parents of students in their care was reflected in feedback through the focus groups. It helps the SNA to better understand the student and can act as a source of information on issues that affect the student’s mood, performance and health on a particular day. Appropriate communication with parents can provide extremely useful information for the SNA and the teacher and in turn for the benefit of the student.
The Role of Special Needs Assistants: Report on Focus Groups with School Leaders can be accessed here .
More information on the SNA Workforce Development Plan can be accessed here .
The Department of Education has adopted a strategic approach to SNA policy development with the objective of developing an enhanced SNA service which delivers the best outcome for children with special education needs in our schools.
The department is currently developing the first Special Needs Assistant Workforce Development Plan. Over the next two years this plan will introduce policy developments under the following five broad headings which will bring clarity and direction to the SNA service:
- Pillar 1 – Reviewing and developing the SNA role - examining the role and duties of the SNA
- Pillar 2 – Establishing a Quality Assurance Framework to provide governance and oversight structures for the sector
- Pillar 3 – Establishing a SNA Learning and Development Programme to provide access to more appropriate, legitimate and convenient opportunities for upskilling and reskilling
- Pillar 4 - Supporting SNA recruitment, retention and diversity, encompassing a review of the SNA employment contract, establishing a pilot redeployment scheme for SNAs and exploring diversity in the sector
- Pillar 5 – Devising a communications strategy to ensure effective communication and collaboration with all stakeholders and promotion of the role as a career choice
The plan is being developed in consultation and collaboration with stakeholders including school leaders, teachers and SNAs, giving all parties an opportunity to provide input and share views on the future development and direction of the SNA service.
Overall, the plan will include consideration of how best school leaders, teachers and SNAs can work together to ensure that they are supported to provide the most effective service to children with significant care needs in our schools.
Under Phase 1 of the plan the Department of Education held focus groups on the topic of SNA learning and development with SNAs at various regions around the country in May 2023. A report on feedback arising from the focus groups including findings and recommendations was published in September 2023 and is available here .
A comprehensive national survey of SNAs was issued at the beginning of February 2024 to collect and record baseline information about SNAs. The data collected from 7,401 SNAs who completed the survey will help to develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of the role of the SNA in the different educational settings and will help to inform policy decisions. The survey report is available here .
Further focus groups took place with principals and deputy principals in Education Support Centres in various locations around the country. The subsequent report is available here .
Feedback from the focus groups and data returned in the survey will be used to inform policy decisions under the five pillars of the plan.
