A recruitment campaign for therapists to the new Education Therapy Service (ETS) has been launched.
The recruitment campaign run by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) will see 90 occupational and speech and language therapists join the new service.
The new ETS, which will be delivered by the NCSE, will see therapy supports provided in special schools on a phased basis, starting in 45 special schools in the 2025/2026 school year. The service will use a multi-tiered approach to provide support to children with the greatest needs.
The ETS will continue to provide supports to mainstream schools availing of sustained in- school therapy and to teachers through the NCSE’s national teacher training programme. Importantly, the ETS will complement existing services rather than replace them, working collaboratively with educators to strengthen overall provision.
Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton T.D, said:
“I am very pleased to formally launch this recruitment campaign for 90 therapists across the country. Having secured the funding during my time as Minister for Special Education to bring therapists into the NCSE to support teachers and schools on a pilot basis, I want to see the ETS rolled out as quickly as possible. I am confident that the NCSE will progress the recruitment campaign to ensure there are no delays and that the therapists are employed quickly.
“Children are at the core of this initiative and our ambition is to see therapists recruited and working on the ground as early as February next year. The recruitment of therapists within the NCSE represents a significant move towards the full roll-out of the education therapy service in special schools, and in special classes in mainstream schools. I am committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person is valued and actively supported to reach their full potential.”
Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion, Michael Moynihan T.D said:
“Establishing the Education Therapy Service has been my number one priority as Minister, so I am delighted we have, in a matter of months, gotten to the stage of recruitment to turn this commitment into real world delivery. This will be a game changer on multiple fronts. Providing therapies in the school setting increases children’s access to support while also reducing the need for parents to take them out of class, leading to enhanced participation and engagement in school life. Teachers and SNAs will also be empowered by having therapists on hand to help inform the ways they can support children in the classroom.
“Over the coming years, we will be working to expand the service into all special schools, as well as special classes and mainstream schools. This really will be transformative for children, families and schools across the country. I am hopeful that we will continue at pace to ensure the ETS is rolled out as quickly as possible.”
John Kearney CEO of the NCSE added,
“The NCSE warmly welcomes the development of the Education Therapy Service. This service will build on the great work and learnings that our current therapy service has delivered to date. The NCSE will continue to ensure therapy services are delivered to children in their school, while supporting the further development of an inclusive education system. The expansion of our therapy team, through this recruitment campaign will bolster the level of support we provide. Therapists in the NCSE will work closely with other NCSE and education services, such as Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), Visiting Teacher, Advisory and National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) to provide school communities with an integrated holistic service. Inclusive education requires a shared social commitment across all sectors of society, the NCSE is looking forward to working closely with our colleagues in health to provide an integrated and aligned service for children and families with an aim to ensure all children have an opportunity to fully reach their potential.”
The new Education Therapy Service will initially focus on Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy. Therapists will work under NCSE governance, with clinical oversight. This will ensure proper supervision and assist therapists in providing evidence-informed practices, agreed scopes of work, and the maintenance of professional standards.
The NCSE will continue to engage with stakeholders—health and education professionals, advocacy groups, and parents—to make sure the service aligns with existing children’s services. Having therapists embedded in schools will help build strong relationships with teachers, encourage joint problem-solving, and ensure consistency. It will also allow regular collaboration with parents and existing services like Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs) and Primary Care. The ETS will not replace existing services; it will work alongside them.
Planning for the selection of schools to be included in the first roll-out is still at an early stage. The service is expected to start in some special schools later in the 2025/26 school year, with a phased roll-out continuing into 2026/27 so that all special schools have access. School selection for the first phase should be completed in the coming weeks.
The positions will be advertised on Friday 28th November 2025 with a closing date of Friday 16 January 2026. Details of the campaign can be found here (https://orangerecruitment.ie/register-ncse) Salaries are in line with the HSE consolidated pay scales (October 2024) for therapy grades.
This course is aimed at students interested in pursuing a career in Occupational Therapy. Students who undertake
this one-year course in Pre-Occupational Therapy studies will gain an understanding of the principles and practices of rehabilitation, treatment of injured, ill or disabled patients through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. Students will develop an understanding of impaired mobility and its impact on human occupational performance and ability and the role of occupational therapy in current healthcare services. Students will gain an insight into the development and implementation of therapeutic programmes.
Students will gain the skills needed by the HSE to work in the healthcare sector, which will help them to understand therapy programmes and support clients in restoring or improving their mobility.
https://www.nightcourses.com/course/pre-occupational-therapy-studiesot-assistant-161923/
