Advocacy on the new SNA review - an experience in gaslighting.

Over the past week, the advocacy campaign on the SNA Review has received responses from the NCSE (Helen Walsh, Head of Inclusion and Education Support Services), various government politicians, and the Minister for Education, Helen McEntee.

On the surface, these responses look reassuring. But read carefully and you’ll notice the same pattern: deflection, spin, and avoidance of the real issues raised. This has been an exercise in gaslighting for schools, staff, and families who know what’s happening on the ground.

The education sub-committee session yesterday was just that: a performance. It played on the fact that those in the room didn’t fully understand the review process, the guidelines, or what had changed. It was an insult to the committee, its members, and to the education system as a whole.

A Small but Important Win

The only genuine positive development is the NCSE’s confirmation that schools can contact their local SENO outside the September–October six-week window to discuss emerging needs.

That flexibility was not in the published guidelines, and it is still not in writing. It was only announced after pressure from schools, parents, and SNAs. This shows the value of advocacy. Thank you to everyone who spoke up - it made a difference.

INTO’s Emergency Call

Positively, the INTO has now formally called for an emergency action on the SNA Review Guidelines and demanded an immediate meeting with the NCSE .

The union has recognised:

• The intolerable administrative burden being placed on principals and special education teachers.

• The negative consequences this paperwork will have for children’s learning and support.

• The need for a pause on the current deadline until a proper review is held.

This is a welcome stance, but it must be matched with ongoing questioning of the guidelines themselves - not just the admin processes. Advocacy works, and there is strength in numbers. Engage with INTO posts, amplify them, and keep raising awareness.

What Remains Unaddressed

1. Whole-School Reviews for Autism Classes

Applying for additional support in an autism class now triggers a whole-school review. This creates delays, adds an enormous administrative burden, and opens the door for NCSE to advise redeploying from mainstream into special classes.

Nobody has claimed the baseline allocation of 2 SNAs per autism class would come from mainstream. The concern is about the “above-SERC” posts - those additional SNAs needed when the baseline 2 are not enough. Previously, schools could apply directly for these. Now, they must complete a whole-school review. This is an unnecessary barrier designed to deter applications.

2. Narrowed Criteria

The guidelines significantly narrow what qualifies for additional allocation on review. Only three very specific situations are listed. These are far above normal primary care needs and set a much higher threshold.

Because a review is the only way to increase allocation, narrowing the grounds for review means the criteria for SNA allocation have substantively changed. Minister McEntee’s claim that “the process remains unchanged” is not just misleading - it is gaslighting.

What Next?

This is the point in many campaigns where people lose heart. You’ve sent the emails, you’ve received the statements, and the response is essentially: you’re wrong.

It’s tempting to stop talking, stop replying, and move on to the next outrage. But this campaign has momentum. It has already achieved one concession (flexibility outside the window) and now INTO is calling for emergency action. That happened because of pressure and advocacy.

So, next steps:

• Keep the pressure up. Share the blog, comment, like and engage with the INTO posts, talk to colleagues. Tag your local politicians, be clear that we don't accept the spin.

• Demand more. INTO’s call is good, now lets challenge the substance of the guidelines, s well as the admin burden.

• Hold politicians to account. Gaslighting must not go unchallenged. Don't accept it. Question it, comment on the posts and be clear that this is not an acceptable behaviour from our representatives.

• Stay visible. Every voice matters. Every email, every post, every story adds weight.

Because our children deserve support, not spin.