A career supporting children and young people with additional needs may be closer than you think. Whether you're taking your first step towards becoming a special needs assistant or building on existing experience, Portobello Institute's intensive programmes offer a flexible route to gaining recognised qualifications.
Depending on where you are in your professional journey, we offer three study options designed to help you move forward:
- QQI Level 5 Minor Award in Special Needs Assisting
- QQI Level 6 Minor Award in Special Needs Assisting
- A Booking Package for both QQI Level 5 Minor Award and QQI Level 6 Minor Award in Special Needs Assisting
Delivered over either one or two weeks, these intensive courses provide a focused and practical way to build your knowledge and credentials in special needs education.
Which Special Needs Assisting Course is Right for You?
The QQI Level 5 Minor Award in Special Needs Assisting is the ideal starting point for those who want to qualify and begin a career as a special needs assistant. It provides the foundational knowledge and practical skills needed to support learners with additional needs in educational settings.
For practising SNAs or those who already hold a QQI Level 5 qualification, the QQI Level 6 Minor Award in Special Needs Assisting is designed to help you gain a greater depth of knowledge, develop more advanced specialist skills, and further enhance career opportunities.
There is also the option to complete both accredited qualifications back-to-back. With Portobello Institute’s combined booking package, learners can obtain Level 5 and then progress straight to Level 6 at a discounted rate in just two weeks. This is a time-efficient and affordable pathway for those looking to advance quickly.
What You Will Learn
QQI Level 5
A foundational qualification for those starting a career as an SNA, the QQI Level 5 Minor Award in Special Needs Assisting equips you with the skills to assist students with a range of additional needs in educational settings.
Key learning areas include:
- Understanding the role and responsibilities of a special needs assistant
- Supporting children with physical, intellectual, communication, and language disabilities
- Applying child development, learning, and behaviour theories
- Promoting inclusion and positive learning experiences
- Gaining practical experience through work placement
QQI Level 6
If you’re currently practising as an SNA and already hold a QQI Level 5 qualification, the QQI Level 6 Minor Award in Special Needs Assisting offers a valuable professional development opportunity, enabling you to take your skills and career opportunities to the next level.
Key learning areas include:
- Implementing Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and Individual Behaviour Plans (IBPs)
- Supporting literacy, numeracy, and learning development
- Promoting learner independence, confidence, and life skills
- Assessing and evaluating learning needs through observation
- Working effectively with parents, teachers, and multidisciplinary teams
- Building specialist expertise to support career progression and professional development
- Gaining practical experience through work placement
How is an Intensive Course at Portobello Institute Delivered?
Both the QQI Level 5 and QQI Level 6 Minor Award in Special Needs Assisting courses are delivered in an intensive one-week format, running from Monday to Friday, 10am-1pm.
Delivered online via Microsoft Teams, the programme offers the flexibility to study from anywhere, with recorded classes available for revision and catch-up.
Students receive one-to-one tutorial guidance throughout, along with dedicated IT support to help with any technical issues during their studies.
Whether you choose Level 5 or Level 6, you will be required to complete 20 hours of work placement in a special needs setting. All students must also complete Garda Vetting before beginning their placement.
Both courses conclude with assignments that allow students to apply what they have learned throughout the programme. These are typically due approximately 11-12 weeks after the course start date.
Assessment for Level 5 consists of a written report, essay and learner record, whereas Level 6 assessment is made up of a project and two skills demonstrations.
How Does the Combined Level 5 and Level 6 Booking Package Work?
For learners who want to gain both qualifications, the QQI Level 5 and Level 6 Booking Package provides a complete learning pathway from entry-level training to advanced professional development.
Instead of completing a single one-week course, learners attend two consecutive weeks of intensive classes, completing the Level 5 programme in week one and the Level 6 programme in week two. This allows you to progress seamlessly from foundational knowledge to more advanced skills in special needs assisting.
Because the combined pathway is delivered over two weeks, learners complete 40 hours of work placement in total and are assessed across both qualifications. This includes a written report, essay and learner record for Level 5, followed by a project and two skills demonstrations for Level 6.
Gain Practical Experience Through Work Placement
For many students, the 20-hour work placement is a standout element of the course, offering the chance to apply classroom learning, gain hands-on experience, and develop practical skills for school-based support roles.
During their placement, students:
- Observe experienced practitioners
- Develop communication and support skills
- Gain confidence working directly with children and young people with additional needs
- Discover what day-to-day life as an SNA looks like
- Experience first-hand the impact a special needs assistant can have on a child's learning, confidence and wellbeing
Hear From One of Our Students
Our SNA courses attract learners from a wide range of backgrounds, including those exploring a new professional direction or looking to build on existing experience.
After working for many years as a registered nurse, Sarah Dillon sought a fresh challenge and a career change. With her nursing degree, she was able to progress directly to the QQI Level 6 Minor Award in Special Needs Assisting qualification.
Sarah says: “If anybody was talking to me about the whole SNA experience, I would absolutely recommend Portobello, definitely.
“Fran Trehy, who was our tutor, was wonderful. She was so enthusiastic, so knowledgeable. She was so helpful. She would always say that if we were struggling, to send her an email and she’d get straight back to you.
“I was a little bit worried about the whole online learning thing because my computer skills wouldn’t be great. But the computer and tech support was really good.”
Register Your Interest
Ready to develop as an SNA while maximising your time and learning? Portobello Institute's intensive special needs assisting programmes can help you achieve your goals in a flexible, streamlined, career-focused way.
Visit the faculty page to learn more about each option, register your interest, or apply online.
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