Parents to notify of special needs requirements

Parents across Cork are being called on to contact the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) if their child requires a special education placement for the 2027/2028 academic year.

Parents must notify the NCSE through the newly opened online portal ‘Parents Notify’ by 1 September, and provide required documentation by 15 September or as soon as practicable thereafter. The portal went live on 7 July.

For the 2026/2027 academic year, ‘Parents Notify’ has enabled the delivery of 70 new special classes across Cork alone, as well as the expansion of special school placements, and the establishment of a number of new special schools in Cork.

Minister for Special Education, Michael Moynihan said: “Forward planning is central to ensuring children and young people with additional needs can access their education in a setting that suits them. It provides reassurance to families about their child’s school placement, while also giving schools the time needed to plan effectively for new classes, including accommodation and staffing.”

“The ‘Parents Notify’ portal has been a really important initiative to enable the earlier planning of special class and special school placements in our schools. This process ensures that my department has a clear picture of the type of provision required by children and young people for September 2027,” he said.

He said that the most important message for parents today is that if they feel their child needs a specialist placement, they should contact the NCSE by 1 September and then documentation can follow as soon as it becomes available.

Parents do not need to contact schools at this point but if parents have any queries at any stage they can contact their local Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO).

“I know September 1st is earlier than last year, but this additional time will help ensure there is a clear sense of demand, which can feed into the budget process in the autumn. Early notification is essential to ensure sufficient places, staffing, and accommodation can be planned for the year ahead."

He said that the additional time will help to ensure that there is a clear sense of demand, which can feed into the budget process in the autumn. He said that early notification is essential to ensure sufficient places, staffing, and accommodation can be planned for the year ahead.

"Importantly, and as was the case this year, families will continue to be supported by their local SENO until the additional documentation is available. I will be working with officials in the Department of Education and NCSE to ensure every child and young person who needs additional support can access an appropriate education in their local community," concluded Minister Moynihan.