Ministers Naughton and Moynihan publish the Report on the Consultation with Children and Young People on the Role of Special Needs Assistants
- Published on: 15 December 2025
- Last updated on: 15 December 2025
Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton and Minister of State with Responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion Michael Moynihan have today (15 December) published the Report on the Consultation with Children and Young People on the Role of Special Needs Assistants.
The consultation, which involved focus groups with children and young people at eleven schools across the country, was undertaken in preparation for the first Special Needs Assistants (SNA) Workforce Development Plan. The objective of the consultation was to obtain the views of children and young people on the SNA role.
The report highlights that children and young people see SNAs as an essential part of their ability to engage, participate and thrive in school life. Through open and meaningful discussions, they reflected on what works well in terms of SNA support and how they would like that support to be delivered. The strong, trusting and supportive relationships they have with SNAs were particularly valued by children and young people.
One of the emerging messages from the consultation is that the children and young people want direct input to how SNA support is delivered. Their thoughtful suggestions on this and other aspects of SNA support will inform future planning.
Minister Naughton said:
“I want to thank each and every one of the children and young people who took the time to share their views on the role of the SNA so openly. Their perspectives can highlight challenges that some adults may overlook, and they can offer creative solutions that will lead to more inclusive and effective education policies. Work first began on the SNA workforce development plan when I was in my former role as Minister for Special Education where we decided to emphasise the voice of the child ensuring that our education system is shaped around the real needs and experiences of the learners themselves.
"The powerful and clear message from children and young people is that SNAs provide vital support in school communities. The students’ voices must be at the heart of how we shape and support this vital role into the future.”
Welcoming the publication of the report, Minister Moynihan said:
“This consultation stands as a strong example of meaningful engagement with children and young people and underscores a growing recognition of their right to participate in decisions that affect them.
“Children and young people told us not only what works well, but also how we can do better. It’s well recognised that SNAs play a pivotal role in the life of a school and it’s clear from the children and young people that SNAs support students in a way that ensure they can engage, participate and thrive in school life.
“It’s heartening to see that the student experience articulated in the consultation demonstrates the value placed on the trusting and supportive relationship with SNAs, which is what I have also seen first hand during visits to schools across the country over recent months.
“This is more than just a listening exercise. We are committed to ensuring that the voices of children and young people continue to shape both policy and practice the support SNAs provide. The input provided will help to develop tailored support strategies and meaningful actions in the SNA workforce development plan.”
Notes to Editors
Work on the first Special Needs Assistant Workforce Development Plan is at an advanced stage. 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.
The plan will introduce policy developments under the following five broad headings to bring clarity and direction to the SNA service:
- 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 Programme
- Pillar 4 - Supporting SNA Recruitment, Retention and Diversity
- Pillar 5 – Devising a Communications Strategy
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.
This consultation was one of a series on the SNA Workforce Development Plan. The information gathered will provide important input to actions under the five pillars of the plan. The findings along with other stakeholder feedback will support evidence-based planning and policy making with a view to delivering an enhanced SNA service.
To date the department has undertaken the following consultations on the plan:
- SNA Learning and Development Focus Group Report May 2023. Focus groups with SNAs.
- First National SNA Survey: A comprehensive national survey of SNAs was issued at the beginning of February 2024 to collect and record baseline information about SNAs.
- The Role of Special Needs Assistants Report on Focus Groups with School Leaders.
- The Role of Special Needs Assistants Report on Focus Groups with teachers.
Reports on all of the above consultations are available on the department’s website on gov.ie.