How to Become a Substitute SNA in Ireland: What I Learned In My First Year
I was standing in the corridor of my local Dublin primary school at 8:17am on a Tuesday, coffee slipping out of the side of my reusable cup, when I realized I’d actually done it. Three months earlier, I’d been sitting in the school gate parking lot scrolling job boards, wondering what flexible work could fit around two primary school aged kids. Now I was here, about to support a first class boy with autism for the week, covering his regular SNA who’d gone in for a minor operation.
I’d always heard SNAs do the most important work in Irish schools, but I assumed you needed a full-time teaching qualification or years of experience to get in. I was chatting to my own son’s SNA after a parent-teacher meeting that same week, and she set me straight. “I started subbing before I even finished my Level 5,” she said, leaning against the fence while we waited for our kids to come out. “You don’t need a permanent job to start working, and most schools are desperate for reliable subs.”
That’s all the nudge I needed. I started looking into the process right away, and what I found surprised me. It’s far more straightforward than I expected, as long as you tick a few key boxes first. First, you need a Level 5 or 6 Certificate in Special Needs Assisting that’s recognized by the Department of Education. I signed up for a part-time distance learning course that cost around €600, and did one module a week after the kids went to bed, finishing it in 10 months. Some providers will let you start applying for work before you cross the final finish line, as long as you’re making progress and have your vetting sorted.
Garda vetting is non-negotiable for anyone working with kids in Ireland, so I sorted that through my course provider right at the start. It can take up to four weeks to process, so getting that out of the way early saves a lot of waiting around later. I also booked a one-day pediatric first aid course with the Irish Red Cross for €120 a month before I finished my qualification, because almost every school and agency asks for this, and having it ready made my applications stand out.
Once I had all the paperwork in order, I had two paths to get work, so I did both. I signed up with three local education recruitment agencies that had good reviews from other SNAs I talked to, filled out their online forms, and uploaded all my certs, vetting confirmation, and CV. Then I found the email addresses for all the school secretaries within a 20-minute drive of my house, sent a short, friendly note saying I was a local qualified substitute SNA looking for work, attached the same documents, and asked them to add me to their substitute list. On a tip from that SNA at the school gate, I added a line to my CV mentioning I have 7 years of experience supporting my own son with dyslexia, including implementing visual timetables and sensory plans at home. That one line got me more responses than anything else. Schools want people who already understand the day-to-day, not just people with a certificate.
I got my first call two weeks after sending all the emails. It was the secretary of that same local school, calling at 7pm the night before to ask if I could cover for the week. I said yes, scrambled to ask my mum to pick my kids up from school if I got stuck late, and showed up at 8am the next day.
After a year of subbing, I can tell you the day-to-day is far less scary than I expected. The regular SNA always leaves a detailed note about the child’s routine, triggers, and needs, and the class teacher is always on hand if you have questions. You don’t have to write IEPs or come up with new interventions. All you have to do is show up on time, follow the existing plan, and speak up if something feels off. Pay works out to between €18 and €22 an hour, depending on if you’re working directly for a school or through an agency. Agencies take a small cut, but they send you more calls when you’re first starting out, since they have contracts with dozens of schools across the region.
I learned a few hard lessons early on that I can pass along. First, sort out backup childcare before you start. I got a last minute call three weeks in that I couldn’t take because I had no one to watch my youngest when she was out sick with a cold. Now I have a swap arrangement with a neighbour who’s also a parent looking for sub work, and my mum is on call one day a week. Second, keep track of all work-related expenses: travel, first aid cert renewal, course fees, even new work shoes. Revenue allows Irish education workers to claim flat rate expenses every year, which cuts your tax bill quite a bit. I forgot that my first tax year and left almost €200 on the table. Third, you can turn down calls if the timing doesn’t work. No one will blacklist you for saying no to a last minute gig that doesn’t fit your schedule.
Right now, I work two to three days a week, which fits perfectly around school runs and homework. Some weeks I get no calls at all, which is fine, I use that time to catch up on house work and take my kids to the park. Some weeks I’m in four days, and I come home tired but glad I did it. I still haven’t decided if I want to apply for a permanent SNA position down the line, and that’s okay. The flexibility of subbing is exactly what I needed when I was ready to go back to work after years at home. There’s a huge shortage of reliable substitute SNAs in Ireland right now, from what I’ve heard, most schools are begging for more people to put on their lists. If you’ve been thinking about it, you don’t have to wait until you have everything perfect. It’s not glamorous, most days it’s reminding kids to hang up their coats, helping with cutting out in art, and sitting through a lot of break times on the yard. But it works, for me anyway, and it could work for you too.
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