Ms Linda O'Sullivan:

I am an SNA in an early intervention special class in a primary school. My day begins with bringing children into the room for Aistear and free play. After speaking to the parents at the school gate I am aware of issues that might trigger their children during the day such as poor sleep or behaviours. After this, we bring the children to the sensory room. Depending on the children, my colleagues and I may offer to separate the best care possible to meet the high needs of the children. We meet back in the classroom and do one-to-one work with them, which varies depending on the individual needs that range between general assistance to accessing the curriculum. We then move to the occupational therapy room where the children do a variety of exercises. We break for lunch and the first period of assisting with yard duty. The SNAs then attend to the care needs of the children before we start our next activities, which in general are sensory play and music. We break for lunch and the second period of assisting with yard duty before home time.

I wish to mention that this is a very brief synopsis of my regular day in so much as there is a regular day. Given the complex needs of the children with whom we work, it should be noted that the work which I and the others undertake is very much dependent on what the children need at any given time throughout the day. The work and duties undertaken by special needs assistants have drifted far beyond the needs outlined in circular 30/2014, the contract of employment and the other circulars that govern these jobs. There is an assumption, and a fostered idea, by the Department of Education re the low educational qualification for entry into our occupation. Please note that it is not classed as a profession, which is a situation that belies the complexity, skills and training needed to do our jobs.