100 signatures reached
To: NCSE , TD'S, Parents, Family members, Friends, Neighbours
New NCSE Guidelines need changing
This needs to change NOW
Another attack on our children. Why do we always have to FIGHT for what's right.
📢 Attention Parents – New NCSE SNA Guidelines (2025/26) 📢
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has released new guidelines on Special Needs Assistants (SNAs).
These changes will affect how support is provided in both mainstream and special schools, and it’s important that parents understand what’s happening.
🔹 SNAs are for care needs only�According to the updated rules, SNAs will only be allocated for primary care needs such as:
* Medical assistance
* Toileting
* Feeding.
SNAs are not intended to support learning, behaviour, or social skills – those responsibilities are placed on teachers and the SET (Special Education Teacher) team.
🔹 Every school will be reviewed�Schools will undergo SNA allocation reviews during 2025/26. The outcome may be:
* No change in support
* An increase (if more care needs are identified)
* A decrease (if needs are assessed as lower).�⚠️ Any reductions will take effect at the end of the school year.
🔹 Redeployment of SNAs�If a school has “too many” SNAs for its assessed care needs, those SNAs may be redeployed to schools with greater needs.
🔹 Appeals process�Schools can appeal a review decision within 10 working days. Appeals are handled by an independent NCSE panel.
👉 What this means for parents:
* If your child is in mainstream school and does not have medical, toileting, or feeding needs, they may not qualify for SNA support going forward.
* The burden will shift more heavily onto teachers and SET teams.
* This may increase demand for autism class places, as many families seek settings where more consistent support is available.
* Parents should ask their school how they plan to support children under these new rules.
Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin TD
Malcolm Byrne
Brian Brennan TD
Another attack on our children. Why do we always have to FIGHT for what's right.
📢 Attention Parents – New NCSE SNA Guidelines (2025/26) 📢
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has released new guidelines on Special Needs Assistants (SNAs).
These changes will affect how support is provided in both mainstream and special schools, and it’s important that parents understand what’s happening.
🔹 SNAs are for care needs only�According to the updated rules, SNAs will only be allocated for primary care needs such as:
* Medical assistance
* Toileting
* Feeding.
SNAs are not intended to support learning, behaviour, or social skills – those responsibilities are placed on teachers and the SET (Special Education Teacher) team.
🔹 Every school will be reviewed�Schools will undergo SNA allocation reviews during 2025/26. The outcome may be:
* No change in support
* An increase (if more care needs are identified)
* A decrease (if needs are assessed as lower).�⚠️ Any reductions will take effect at the end of the school year.
🔹 Redeployment of SNAs�If a school has “too many” SNAs for its assessed care needs, those SNAs may be redeployed to schools with greater needs.
🔹 Appeals process�Schools can appeal a review decision within 10 working days. Appeals are handled by an independent NCSE panel.
👉 What this means for parents:
* If your child is in mainstream school and does not have medical, toileting, or feeding needs, they may not qualify for SNA support going forward.
* The burden will shift more heavily onto teachers and SET teams.
* This may increase demand for autism class places, as many families seek settings where more consistent support is available.
* Parents should ask their school how they plan to support children under these new rules.
Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin TD
Malcolm Byrne
Brian Brennan TD
Why is this important?
As a mother of a child with autism who has just finished secondary school and thanks to his wonderful SNA's, over the years, he has now gone on to a PLC course. Without their support, guidance, and encouragement, he would never have finished school and getting an LCA Certificate.
" the new "NCSE guidelines for SNA's" is nothing short of disgraceful and seems to be lacking any understanding of what it is an SNA does on a daily basis.
It is a stark read, where many children who may have had support previously will not going forward. For example a child who may have a diagnosis and suggested breaks from the class, this will no longer be recognised by the NCSE as the role of an SNA.
What exactly does this mean for the many thousands of children who don't fit into the box of Primary Care needs.
It seems SNA's are only going to be needed in cases of children with severe and complex (e.g) medical needs, and while this is crucial, what about all the other children with other needs?
Where is their box to tick?
These children don't seem to exist to the NCSE.
I feel let down by the Department, let down by the Minister Helen McEntee and let down hugely by the NCSE, but more than any of this, they have let down the children, the children, who will sit silently, mask all day long, but it's ok we just need to tell those children, their needs are not recognised, they didn't meet the criteria for access to an SNA, not anymore...
I would like to ask Minister McEntee, why these changes to the SNA role?
What exactly is it that she thinks they do everyday, it is so insulting to them that they have to justify year in year out, never truly a permanent member of staff because at any stage the NCSE can change what they deem their role to be.
It is sad to have to become involved in fighting the government again for the basic rights and needs of children and their education. I am 19 years fighting for the right for my child to get what he needs to achieve all he has, in 2025 we should not be still fighting for an education system that is inclusive and supportive to every child.
" the new "NCSE guidelines for SNA's" is nothing short of disgraceful and seems to be lacking any understanding of what it is an SNA does on a daily basis.
It is a stark read, where many children who may have had support previously will not going forward. For example a child who may have a diagnosis and suggested breaks from the class, this will no longer be recognised by the NCSE as the role of an SNA.
What exactly does this mean for the many thousands of children who don't fit into the box of Primary Care needs.
It seems SNA's are only going to be needed in cases of children with severe and complex (e.g) medical needs, and while this is crucial, what about all the other children with other needs?
Where is their box to tick?
These children don't seem to exist to the NCSE.
I feel let down by the Department, let down by the Minister Helen McEntee and let down hugely by the NCSE, but more than any of this, they have let down the children, the children, who will sit silently, mask all day long, but it's ok we just need to tell those children, their needs are not recognised, they didn't meet the criteria for access to an SNA, not anymore...
I would like to ask Minister McEntee, why these changes to the SNA role?
What exactly is it that she thinks they do everyday, it is so insulting to them that they have to justify year in year out, never truly a permanent member of staff because at any stage the NCSE can change what they deem their role to be.
It is sad to have to become involved in fighting the government again for the basic rights and needs of children and their education. I am 19 years fighting for the right for my child to get what he needs to achieve all he has, in 2025 we should not be still fighting for an education system that is inclusive and supportive to every child.