Primary and Secondary education support

Below are some details on how education support is provided in primary and secondary schools for children with additional needs.

National Council for Special Education (NCSE)

The NCSE's local service is delivered through Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs).

All parents applying for a specialist school placement for their child, such as an autism class and/or a special school, should link in with their local SENO. 

Contact information for all SENOs is shared here.

How SENOs work:

  • They plan, co-ordinate and review the provision of additional education supports to schools that enrol students with special educational needs.
  • They advise and support parents around the availability of special classes, special schools and other educational supports.
  • They process school’s applications for Transport and Assistive Technology  and forward them to the Department of Education for sanction. Examples of assistive technology would be laptops, iPads, and audiology equipment.

Notification process when seeking a place in a special school or special class

See here for information on the how to notify the NCSE that you want a place for your child in a Special School or Special Class. 

 

Mainstream class in a mainstream school

Special needs assistants (SNAs) provide non-teaching care support. Your child’s school allocates access to SNA.

Additional teaching support from a special education teacher may be provided to a child based on their needs. This is allocated by your child’s school.

You can see SNA, SET and special class teacher allocations here per school: https://www.ncse.ie/ncse/data-and-statistics/set-hours-special-class-teachers-and-sna-allocations/

Special classes in mainstream schools

Special classes offer a supportive learning environment for students with more complex needs. Special classes have smaller numbers of students.  

If your child needs a place in an autism class in a mainstream school, you must have a professional report stating that he/she has a special educational need and requires this type of placement.

A student’s place in a special class is reviewed every year. This review considers the student’s needs and progress. 
 

For further information, please see – https://ncse.ie/choosing-a-school.

 

Special Schools

Special schools support students with more severe and/or complex special educational needs.

To be placed in a special school a child must have a professional report stating that he/she has a special educational need and that this need is of such complexity that a special school placement could be considered – https://ncse.ie/special-schools.

Placement decisions for students are generally based on the resources available in these settings, and the complexity of a student’s needs.

 

Home Tuition Grant for Primary and Secondary School

If a school placement is not available, and this has been confirmed by the NCSE, through the local SENO, children with Special Educational Needs, who are aged 4 years and over, may avail of home tuition.

This is an interim measure until an educational placement becomes available. For further information, please see: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/d15f58-home-tuition/. 

 

Visiting teacher supports

Visiting teachers are qualified teachers with specialist skills who support: 
– Children who are Deaf/ Hard of Hearing 
– Children who are Blind/Vision impaired

Visiting teachers offer long-term support to children from primary to post-primary levels. 
They support parents, guardians, teachers and other professionals involved with the child.  https://www.ncse.ie/parents/support-network/visiting-teachers/

 

National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS)

Access to this service is allocated by your child’s school. Here is more information on NEPS: National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS)

 

Summer Provision

This is funding for parents/guardians to engage a teacher/ SNA to provide tuition or care support as appropriate in the child’s home during the summer. All students in special schools and special classes in primary and post-primary schools are eligible. Some students in mainstream schools with special educational needs are also eligible. Apply through your child’s school by completing a Grant Claim Form. See: www.gov.ie/en/publication/5d15a-summer-programme/

 

Reasonable Accommodation at Certificate Examinations (RACE) scheme

Post-primary students with disabilities may receive special arrangements while sitting state examinations (for example, assistive technology, access to a scriber, or exemption from aural part of the exam). Discuss options with your child’s School Principal and/or SEN Coordinator in school.

After School and Social Supports

Libraries have a collection of specialised toys and resources for children (and adults) with learning difficulties and disabilities. These can be borrowed free of charge as part of the Toys, Technology and Training initiative (TTT).

 

Page created: 26 August 2026

First review due: 26 August 2027