Additional Needs & SEN Support
Patient tutors who understand how your child learns.
From Junior Infants to the Leaving Cert, find a tutor with real experience of autism, ADHD, dyslexia and other additional needs. Look for the Garda Vetted badge: it means GrindSpot has read the tutor's vetting disclosure.
- Garda vetting badge checked by hand
- Free intro call with many tutors
- Shorter lessons of 30 or 45 minutes
- Calm online lessons, with a break button
- You are welcome to sit in
How we choose these tutors
Tutors tell parents what they have experience with, in one of two ways. Garda vetting is a separate badge: it shows on a tutor's profile once GrindSpot has read their disclosure.
The tutor describes the needs they have worked with and how they teach.
We have also seen proof: for example work as an SEN teacher or SNA, or training from AsIAm or Middletown Centre for Autism.
What lessons look like
Small things make a big difference for children who find new people and new places hard.
A free intro call first
Many tutors offer a free 15-minute call, so your child can meet them with no pressure before the first lesson.
Shorter lessons
Book 30 or 45 minutes instead of an hour, when that suits your child's attention and energy better.
Calm lessons, with breaks
Our video room shows the time left and has a "Take a break" button, and tutors can keep pop-ups and sounds to a minimum.
Same tutor, same time
Book a regular weekly slot with the same tutor, so lessons become a familiar routine.
Small wins, written down
Tutors can record each small step forward, so you see progress that report cards miss.
You can sit in
Online or at home, you're welcome to stay nearby. For children under 13, a parent books and manages every lesson.
Primary school, too
Support from Junior Infants to 6th Class: reading and phonics, maths, Irish and homework, with tutors who are used to younger children. And help with the move to secondary school, when routines change all at once.
See tutorsTell the tutor what helps
In your parent account, each child has an optional "What helps my child" note: what they enjoy, what calms them, how they like to communicate. You never need to share a diagnosis. Only your child's own tutors can read it, and you can change or delete it at any time.
Find a tutor by experience
Tutors with this experience
Questions parents ask
Does a tutor replace the support my child gets in school?
No. Tutoring sits alongside school supports such as the SNA, the special education teacher and any NEPS advice. It's worth telling the school, so everyone works the same way.
Do I have to tell you my child's diagnosis?
No, never. Choose a tutor with the experience you're looking for. If it helps, write a few lines in "What helps my child" — that is all the tutor needs.
How is the Garda vetting checked?
The tutor uploads their vetting disclosure, and a person at GrindSpot reads it before the Garda Vetted badge appears. We ask for a new one every three years.
How much does it cost?
Each tutor sets their own price, shown on their profile. Intro calls are free where the tutor offers them. You pay the price shown on the tutor's profile.
What if it isn't the right fit?
That happens, and it's fine. Book an intro call or a short lesson with someone else. You're never tied to one tutor.
Additional needs tutors near you
Need a hand?
Stuck on something? Reach out and we'll get back to you quickly.
