In line with the 2025 Programme for Government, there is a commitment to introduce a national therapy service in education settings. The Education Plan 2025, which was announced on the 19th of June 2025, confirmed Government approval for the establishment of the Education Therapy Service (ETS).
The ETS is an additional support for children with special education needs and has been established as an important support for children and young people in their school environment. The service will include Occupational Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists initially and is delivered by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). The ETS will be delivered in a complementary manner to existing services and will not replace family centred supports currently provided by existing children’s health and disability services.
In February 2026, my department announced the phased expansion of the ETS starting with in special schools. The expanded service started with an initial 45 special schools in February 2026 and a further 19 in September 2026. It is envisaged therapists will support a cluster of schools. The number of schools a therapist will support in a cluster will be dependent on a number of factors including; geographical location, the demographic and number of students per school.
Recruitment for therapists is ongoing, with a national campaign currently live. Based on panels and job offers, it is expected that therapists will be allocated to St Annes Special School in January 2027. However, in the interim, the school is receiving support from existing therapy provision within the NCSE. Initial planning meetings have commenced, therapists are working with the school to identify needs and initial programmes of work. When assigned therapists are allocated to the school in January 2027 they will receive a complete handover from the interim therapists and continue with the identified programme of work, focusing on the school’s identified needs.
ETS therapists focus on educationally relevant needs within the school context, while HSE and HSE-funded services continue to provide support within their established scopes of service, including the child and family context. A child or young person may receive support from both services where needs arise across the either the home or school contexts.
Therapists from the HSE and the ETS will be supported to work together through a framework that has been agreed at national level and has been co-designed by therapists and services across health and education. This framework is underpinned by a child centred approach and is based on the principles of collaborative practice, clarity on scope of service, co-ordinated support and the effective use of resources.
My Department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
