ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the issue of the provision of in-service training for assistants working with children with special educational needs in mainstream schools in one English local authority. It looks at background issues and examines the training provided by the authority. The chapter evaluates this training, identifies the positive aspects and pinpoints the weaknesses. Through some aspects found whilst examining the wider contexts in which assistants work. The areas of concern described led to the conclusion that the effectiveness of training and support for assistants need to be examined very critically and that the Local Education Authority (LEA) and schools have two major issues to address. These are to do with LEA in-service training and 'in-house' staff development. There is a need for 'in-house' staff training involving not only assistants but all the staff in the school.
