FETAC Special Needs Assistant Courses-Best Providers??

Smorganna

Hello all,

I really want to do a FETAC SNA course but I am wondering if you are aware of some excellent course providers or from your own experience, would you recommend any.

Thanks for the help on this one

Vinoveritas

Smorganna wrote: »

Hello all,

I really want to do a FETAC SNA course but I am wondering if you are aware of some excellent course providers or from your own experience, would you recommend any.

Thanks for the help on this one

SNA course are available free of charge through most BTEI progammes (check out your local VEC) to those in receipt of a Social Welfare payment and/or medical card and/or early school leavers. Some VEC's have part-time fee paying options to those who do not meet the above eligibility.

However, in order to gain maximum benefit (and results) from this course and to compete for jobs in the area you really need to take this module as part of a full award in Childcare @ FETAC Level 5. If you are not in a position to do this then you should consider taking Child Development - as the content of this module underpins the learning in all of the other childcare modules including Understanding Special Needs and Special Needs Assisting.

Whilst the minimum (at least last time I checked) educational standard needed to apply for SNA posts in primary schools was Junior Cert with Irish, English and Maths - the reality is that there is such huge competition for jobs that you really need to have Childcare with Special Needs.

If for any reason you cannot access it through your local VEC than you should check out some of the private childcare providers.

Cheers

V V

Smorganna

Thank you VV I really appreciate your response and I will research it thoroughly.

All the best,
S

Cat Melodeon

As someone who has worked in the area, I would advise you to be very careful about pursuing this career path. Of the 10,000 SNAs that were employed in 2007, 2,000 of those positions were axed over the past two academic years. It is difficult to believe that 2,000 pupils who formerly had special needs were suddenly magically cured, or that such a significant proportion of SEN students would have been in their final 2 years of schooling. Although the Department of Education will vehemently deny it, SNAs are an easy target for budget cuts as very few are unionised and most schools do not have a dedicated Special Needs Co-ordinator to defend their interests.

Sorry for the rant, but this is of relevance to you as it means that there are 2,000 unemployed SNAs with work experience under their belts out there looking for work. That's a lot of competition for someone just starting out.

Smorganna

You are not ranting at all Cat. Very very good point and well made.

Many thanks.
S