Ministers McEntee and Moynihan announce the publication of the Report on Focus Groups with Teachers on the role of the Special Needs Assistant (SNA)
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From: Department of Education
- Published on: 9 May 2025
- Last updated on: 9 May 2025
Minister for Education and Youth Helen McEntee TD and Minister of State with responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion, Michael Moynihan TD today announced the publication of the Report on Focus Groups with Teachers on the Role of Special Needs Assistants.
The focus groups were undertaken as part of research by the Department in preparation for the first Special Needs Assistant Workforce Development Plan and are the latest in a series which included focus groups with SNAs and school leaders. The reports from previous focus groups are published on the department’s website on www.gov.ie
Minister McEntee said:
“The feedback from teachers in the focus groups has helped my department to understand the professional relationship between teachers and SNAs and points to the importance of this collaboration in providing the best educational experience and outcome for students with special educational needs.
“I appreciate the time taken by the teachers who participated in the focus groups. The insights gathered from these focus groups will support an evidenced based approach to the SNA Workforce Development Plan”
Welcoming the publication of the report on the findings from these focus groups, Minister Moynihan said:
“Effective teamwork between the teacher and the SNA is essential for creating a cohesive support system for students, ensuring that both their educational and care needs are met in school.
“The input provided by the teachers in these focus groups will help us to develop strategies to support school communities through the SNA Workforce Development Plan. I want to sincerely thank the teachers for getting involved in these focus groups and discussing their experience of working with SNAs to support children in our schools.”
The focus groups were attended by more than 200 teachers in six locations across the country. The focus group report will be used to inform decision-making for the SNA Workforce Development Plan, which is scheduled for delivery in September 2025. The focus groups with teachers on the role of the SNA provide insight into good practice and the importance of effective teamwork in providing support to children and young people with special educational needs in our schools.
Notes for Editor
The Special Needs Assistants Workforce Development Unit was established in 2022 and adopts 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.
Work on the first Special Needs Assistant Workforce Development Plan is ongoing, with an expected delivery date of September 2025. The Plan will introduce policy developments under the following five broad headings:
- Pillar 1 – Review and Development of the SNA role
- Pillar 2 – Establishment of a Quality Framework
- Pillar 3 – Establishment of a SNA Learning and Development Programm
- Pillar 4 - Supporting SNA Recruitment, Retention and Diversity
- Pillar 5 – Development of a Communications Strategy
The scheduled delivery date for the SNA Workforce Development Plan is September 2025
Previous research for the plan includes:
- Focus Groups with SNAs
- First National SNA Survey
- Focus Groups with School Leaders
The associated reports are available on the department’s website on gov.ie.
A consultation with children and young people to seek their views on the role of the SNA in schools has been undertaken recently and the associated report will be published on www.gov.ie in due course.
Feedback from these research initiatives will be combined with other stakeholder input to inform policy decisions under the five pillars of the plan.