The Special Needs Assistant Certificate is a part time evening course suited to anyone who has an interest in Special Needs Education, whether to pursue it as a career or use the knowledge for personal or family reasons.

The field of Special Needs Education is one of enormous variety and ever changing needs. Portobello Institute wish to respond to the true needs within the sector by offering a course that will equip our students not only with knowledge but with empathy and understanding crucial to their future role as support to persons needing assistance in their learning. Our research in the field has found that Special Needs Assistants require practical skills and knowledge in a wide range of behaviours and abilities. Thus, we try to encapsulate the lifelong experience of persons with Special Needs within our courses, in Level 5 and in greater detail at Level 6.

Qualifications Gained

• Portobello Institute Certificate in Special Needs Assistant Training
• QQI Level 5 minor award (5N1786) Special Needs Assistant

Entry Requirements

Entry to this course is by direct application to the college. There are no previous academic requirements.

Class Sizes

We are committed to ensuring you gain the most, academically and personally, during your study time with Portobello.  To facilitate this, we limit our class sizes to a maximum of 14 students on part-time programmes. With these uniquely small classes, we create the environment for you get to know everyone in your group, you can then feel comfortable and confident to ask questions and our tutors have the time to attend to the needs of each and every student. Many of our students tell us of the lifelong friendships they have made during their study time with Portobello.

Assignment Support

We understand the challenge of completing assignments at third level, the new skills and the change in thinking sometimes needed to put on paper, all that you have learned. We offer our students the opportunity to submit a draft assignment for informal feedback before submitting the final version. We care about your success, we want you to achieve the best you can and we offer you the individual support to acquire the skills you need to communicate what you have learned whilst studying with Portobello Institute.

Course Structure

This is a part time course delivered one evening a week for 12 weeks.

Course Content Modules

1. The Role of the Special Needs Assistant
2. Equal Opportunities Child Development(Overview)
3. Theories of Learning and Behaviour
4. Physical and Intellectual Disabilities
5. Communications and Language Disabilities
6. Work Experience*

* 20 Hours Work experience is required

Student stories

Alban completed the level 5 course in Portobello Institute in the summer of 2017. “Overall, I found the course to be extremely informative and it really helped me to understand the role of a special needs assistant.”  He felt the course content was extremely relevant to the subject matter of special needs. “For me I undertook the course for the purpose of learning specifically about the role of the SNA and this is what I achieved”. Read full story here

Our Tutors

Here is a handful of the wonderful tutors we have teaching this course. We consistently aim to attract the highest caliber of tutors both on this course and throughout the college.

Here's what some students had to say about their tutor...

Caroline Salley - Special Needs Level 5, Mullingar.

"I would like to express my sincere gratitude and thanks to you on one of your tutors Nicola Hardy; I was lucky enough to have teach me on this course. The format in which she delivered the course content was excellent. She truly motivated me and encouraged us to be our very best self's and I am thoroughly looking forward to what the future holds for me on completion. Throughout the course she has been nothing but supportive and very approachable, she never made me feel like I had a stupid question and she went above and beyond her role as a tutor in helping me with my CV, I just wanted to inform you of what a wonderful addition she is to your staff and Institute."

Learner Evaluation Feedback from Special Needs Level 5, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15

"Very interesting and relevant course content. Class notes, handouts and videos are all excellent. The lectures are dynamic and excellent, well organised and very enjoyable. Extremely approachable tutor.

Venues

See below for a list of venues we are running this course in. We try to accommodate as many venues as possible but if there is a venue you would like to see us in, please get in touch with us and if we have enough numbers we would be delighted to accommodate you. Contact: megan.corr@portobelloinstitute.ie   T: 01, 8920024

Further Progression

For those that wish to progress to their Level 6 award in Special Needs we have scheduled a continuation course in each region to start approx two weeks after the Level 5 course ends. Where possible we have left the course on the same day. See here for schedules and regions of our Special Needs Level 6 courses. We have an offer running currently when a Special Needs Level 5 course is booked with a Level 6 course, see below for details.

Course Offer!

*Book onto this Special Needs Level 5 course and our Special Needs Level 6 course (part time) and get  €200 off the total cost and also receive a Distance Learning Course worth up to the value of €350! See details HERE

Bookings

See below for a list of regions we are running this course in. You can book onto this course up to 1 week after the start date. Start dates as set out below.

Booking

To Book this course, please make a full course payment using the Book Now button. Please read and understand both the Terms of Enrolment and Course Payment Information before paying for your course. Details of all our policies as well as refunds, cancellations, installment options and how to pay offline are contained in these two important documents.

Additional Course Costs

Please read Course Payment Information for full details as to when you will make these additional course payments.

• QQI Exam Fee: included