Skip to main content
Government of Ireland funding logo
EU funding logo

Understanding Special Needs – Killarney

This programme will provide the learner with the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and competence to work under supervision in a range of community health service settings.

Minor Award New for 2024

  • Reference
    464287
  • Location
    Admissions Office Killarney
  • Type
  • Duration
    10 Weeks
  • Certification
    QQI Level 5
  • Fees
    €200
  • Start date
    21/01/2025
Apply now

Course Overview

This course will run on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm, for 10 weeks.

All classes with take place in our Admissions Office in Killarney.

Please note all Learners must have competent written and spoken English (CEFR B1 or Higher).

What is the certification?

Minor Award Understanding Special Needs (5N1709)

Why should I do this course ?

  • On completion of this programme learners will have the skills, knowledge and competencies to work under supervision in a range of community health service settings or to progress to further and/or higher education and training.
  • Direct route to employment. Over 1100 new SNA Posts announced for 2023
  • The successful completion of the QQI Major Level 5 Award in Community Health Services will enable applicants to work under supervision in a range of community health service settings.

What will I study?

Understanding Special Needs (5N1709)

Entry Requirements

  • Applicants must have reached the current statutory school leaving age (16+).
  • QQI Level 4 Major Award or its equivalent is essential (Leaving Cert, LCVP, LCA).
  • Good interpersonal and communication skills are essential, including verbal and written command of the English language. 
  • Express an interest in learning and practicing new skills.

What is the cost?

Fees apply to all part-time programmes

A fee waiver is in place for applicants in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment. You can check your fee waiver eligibility with Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP), INTREO or your Local Employment Service (LES) office.

Learners in employment may also be granted a fee waiver under the Skills to Advance Initiative.  For more details on this please contact Claire at [email protected]

Still have questions ?

Contact our Kerry College Admissions Offices – Tralee on 066 714 9696, Killarney on 064 662 2593 or [email protected]

Part-time Courses - FAQs

FET is short for Further Education & Training. Kerry College is an integrated college of FET. This means we do both progression-focused further education programmes and a range of employment-focused skills training programmes.

We enroll twice each year - January and September.

Part-time programmes run on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings, Friday afternoons, Saturday mornings, and increasingly online.

This depends on the course you choose. 

Some courses have long waiting lists, others - not so much. Places are filled on a first-come, first-served basis so the best advice we can offer is to apply in plenty of time.

We enroll over 1000 applicants to our part-time courses each year - so it's always busy.

As places are offered based on the date of application, our team could be working their way down through the list.

That said, always check.

You can call Mary on our Part-time courses team at 066-7149696.

Although all of our part-time courses are fee-paying, we do have a DEASP Fee Waiver in place for those in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment. 

This is subject to a waiting list and demand for course places.

Most part-time courses run at Kerry College are Minor awards.

A Minor award is commonly referred to as a module - but also as a component certificate or a certificate of unit credit.

These single 'modules' may be completed and certificated individually. All minor awards are linked to a major award that allows learners to collect and build their minor awards and work towards gaining a major award.

Applications for all part-time programmes should be made online - via the Kerry College website or www.fetchcourses.ie

FETCH COURSES is the national application system for all FET course applications. 

All new applicants must set up a free account on www.fetchcourses.ie. You must use this to apply for all further education and training progarmmes anywhere in Ireland. 

For existing Fetch Courses account holders, login and apply as before. 

You can reset your password using your email or mobile phone. When you do, make sure you keep it for future reference.

Bear in mind, FETCH uses your PPS number to identify you - so although you might be able to set up a second account - it won't work properly.

If you're still stuck, contact our Admissions team on 066-714 96 96

No, aside from the DEASP Fee Waiver, all part-time courses are fee-paying.

Find Courses