ADVERT ID 254485
Special Needs Assistant
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MAIN DETAILS
Status:
Active
Level:
Primary
Date Posted:
Mon Jun 8 2026
Application Closing Date:
Mon Jun 22 2026
Commencement Date:
Wed Aug 26 2026
Status of Post:
Fixed-term
Number of Vacancies:
2
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SCHOOL DETAILS
School Type:
Mainstream
School Structure:
Vertical
Gender:
Co-Educational
School Patronage:
Educate Together
Classification:
DEIS 1
Total No. of Teaching Staff:
27
Current Enrolment:
230
Droichead school:
Yes
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POST DETAILS
Panel of Applicants:
An internal panel of suitable applicants may be set up to fill vacancies which may occur within a specific time period (four months for teacher posts and the duration of the school year for SNA posts) from the date on which the Board approves the successful candidate.
Additional Information:
About Our School:
Paradise Place ETNS is a diverse, aspirational DEIS Band 1 school in the heart of Dublin 7. We are a happy, inclusive and ambitious school, reflecting the rich diversity of families in our local community. In 2024, we made an exciting transition from Catholic to Educate Together patronage. We are proud to be a DCU Changemaker School, a Yellow Flag School, and winners of the European Language Label — recognition that reflects our values and our commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Our Children & Community:
Our school is home to children with a wonderfully wide range of backgrounds, languages, abilities and needs. Almost all of our children speak English as an additional language. We support a significant number of children with additional learning needs, including neurodivergent children and autistic children. We believe that every child deserves to feel safe, valued and ready to learn — and our Inclusion Assistants are absolutely central to making that happen.
The Role:
We have two fixed-term Inclusion Assistant posts available for the 2026-2027 school year. One is full-time and the other is 0.83 hours, which is an infant day. Depending on the needs of the school, this role may involve working across the school with a number of children who need a range of different kinds of support, or working within our autism class.
We are therefore looking for someone who is flexible, calm and responsive — able to adapt to different children, different environments and different needs, sometimes within the same day. No two days are exactly alike, and that variety is part of what makes this role so rewarding.
Relationships & Regulation:
We are a restorative school, and positive relationships are the foundation of everything we do. We work with Michelle Stowe and Connect RP and have been developing our restorative practice over many years. This is genuinely embedded in how we work. We also place great importance on understanding children's regulation needs. We know that a child who feels safe and regulated is a child who is ready to connect, engage and learn. Our Inclusion Assistants play a vital role in supporting children's emotional wellbeing and helping them navigate the school day with confidence. We are looking for someone who brings warmth, patience and a genuine belief that every child is doing the best they can — and who is open to learning more about regulation, trauma-informed approaches and restorative practice.
We are looking for someone who:
- Is warm, patient, energetic and enthusiastic
- Genuinely enjoys working with children and building trusting relationships
- Is calm and regulated themselves — an important quality when supporting children who need co-regulation
- Is flexible and responsive to the diverse and changing needs of our children
- Takes initiative and works well both independently and as part of a team
- Is open to learning and growing — from training, from colleagues, and from the children themselves
- Is committed to inclusive, neurodiversity-affirming practice
Experience of working with autistic children, or with children who need support to build positive relationships, would be a distinct advantage. Familiarity with restorative or trauma-informed approaches would also be very welcome, though we provide ongoing support and professional development for all our staff.
Our Team & Culture:
Our staff team is friendly, collaborative and deeply committed to the children in our care. We support one another, share good practice and work together to ensure the best possible outcomes for every child. You will never be on your own — we all work closely as a team, and you will be welcomed as a valued and equal member of our school community.
Eligibility & Requirements:
Applicants must hold the qualifications set out in Department of Education and Skills Circular 44/2014 and must complete Garda Vetting prior to taking up the post. Full details of the required qualifications can be found at gov.ie.
How to Apply
To find out more about who we are — our children, our ethos, our awards and our approach — please visit our website at ppetns.ie. We encourage all applicants to explore the site before applying. Please send your CV, application form and a cover letter by email. In your cover letter, please tell us specifically why you are drawn to Paradise Place ETNS and what you would bring to our school community.
Paradise Place ETNS is a diverse, aspirational DEIS Band 1 school in the heart of Dublin 7. We are a happy, inclusive and ambitious school, reflecting the rich diversity of families in our local community. In 2024, we made an exciting transition from Catholic to Educate Together patronage. We are proud to be a DCU Changemaker School, a Yellow Flag School, and winners of the European Language Label — recognition that reflects our values and our commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Our Children & Community:
Our school is home to children with a wonderfully wide range of backgrounds, languages, abilities and needs. Almost all of our children speak English as an additional language. We support a significant number of children with additional learning needs, including neurodivergent children and autistic children. We believe that every child deserves to feel safe, valued and ready to learn — and our Inclusion Assistants are absolutely central to making that happen.
The Role:
We have two fixed-term Inclusion Assistant posts available for the 2026-2027 school year. One is full-time and the other is 0.83 hours, which is an infant day. Depending on the needs of the school, this role may involve working across the school with a number of children who need a range of different kinds of support, or working within our autism class.
We are therefore looking for someone who is flexible, calm and responsive — able to adapt to different children, different environments and different needs, sometimes within the same day. No two days are exactly alike, and that variety is part of what makes this role so rewarding.
Relationships & Regulation:
We are a restorative school, and positive relationships are the foundation of everything we do. We work with Michelle Stowe and Connect RP and have been developing our restorative practice over many years. This is genuinely embedded in how we work. We also place great importance on understanding children's regulation needs. We know that a child who feels safe and regulated is a child who is ready to connect, engage and learn. Our Inclusion Assistants play a vital role in supporting children's emotional wellbeing and helping them navigate the school day with confidence. We are looking for someone who brings warmth, patience and a genuine belief that every child is doing the best they can — and who is open to learning more about regulation, trauma-informed approaches and restorative practice.
We are looking for someone who:
- Is warm, patient, energetic and enthusiastic
- Genuinely enjoys working with children and building trusting relationships
- Is calm and regulated themselves — an important quality when supporting children who need co-regulation
- Is flexible and responsive to the diverse and changing needs of our children
- Takes initiative and works well both independently and as part of a team
- Is open to learning and growing — from training, from colleagues, and from the children themselves
- Is committed to inclusive, neurodiversity-affirming practice
Experience of working with autistic children, or with children who need support to build positive relationships, would be a distinct advantage. Familiarity with restorative or trauma-informed approaches would also be very welcome, though we provide ongoing support and professional development for all our staff.
Our Team & Culture:
Our staff team is friendly, collaborative and deeply committed to the children in our care. We support one another, share good practice and work together to ensure the best possible outcomes for every child. You will never be on your own — we all work closely as a team, and you will be welcomed as a valued and equal member of our school community.
Eligibility & Requirements:
Applicants must hold the qualifications set out in Department of Education and Skills Circular 44/2014 and must complete Garda Vetting prior to taking up the post. Full details of the required qualifications can be found at gov.ie.
How to Apply
To find out more about who we are — our children, our ethos, our awards and our approach — please visit our website at ppetns.ie. We encourage all applicants to explore the site before applying. Please send your CV, application form and a cover letter by email. In your cover letter, please tell us specifically why you are drawn to Paradise Place ETNS and what you would bring to our school community.
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APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
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Applications may be submitted by
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Roll Number:
20436C
Apply To:
Applications by email only to applications@ppetns.ie
County:
Dublin
Postal District:
Dublin 7
Enquiries To:
Website:
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