Minister for Education and Youth statement on the progress on the establishment of a new Educational Therapy Service

The Minister states:

In line with the programme for government commitment, the Education Therapy Service (ETS) has been established as a critical and important support for children and young people in their school environment. The ETS is an additional support for children with additional needs. It is to supplement and not replace existing children's health and disability services. It is intended to commence initially in specials schools and rollout over time to special classes and mainstream schools.

It is anticipated that the service will commence in 45 special schools at a later stage in the 2025/26 school year. Work to identify the 45 schools for the initial phase is ongoing and it is hoped this will be complete early in 2026 to ensure that selected schools have the opportunity to engage with the ETS prior to therapist assignment. I am conscious where there are 129 special schools that there will be disappointment for those schools not in the initial phase, but it is important to remember this is the start of a new initiative which will see all schools benefit in the coming years.

I'm pleased to say that on the 28th of November, the recruitment campaign for therapists to the new ETS was launched, which it is hoped will see 90 occupational and speech and language therapists, at staff and senior grades, join the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and commence working in the selected special schools.

Further roll out of the service will occur on a phased basis with a wider roll-out in special schools commencing in the 2026/27 school year.

My department is engaging with a range of stakeholders to gather insights, identify priorities, shape how the ETS can be developed and how therapy supports can be effectively integrated within the school system.

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.