Inclusion Ireland is co-coordinating a national protest march under the banner ‘People with Disabilities Say No More Cuts!’
 
People with a disability and their families and friend will meet at the Garden of Remembrance at 12pm on Wednesday 7th July, marching down O’Connell Street, before assembling outside Leinster House. 

The Challenge:   Gerry Duffy and Ken Whitelaw will attempt to run 32 consecutive marathons in 32 counties in just 32 days! This promises to be a truly amazing accomplishment should they be successful. Starting on Friday July 2nd 2010 they will visit the entire 32 counties running 26.2 miles each and every day.

This event is being co-ordinated and organised entirely by Irish Autism Action (Charity Number CHY 14656) and Autism NI (Charity Number XR 22944). In addition Gerry and Ken also wish to make a donation to the Irish Cancer Society (Charity Number CHY 5863).

Rainchild Network and Developing Ability Partnership are working together on possibility of running a number of special needs courses in Connaught region due to regular enquiries and sponsorship opportunity. We are pleased to announce the first course is the ...

First Steps in ABA
Group workshop with Dr Ken Kerr
The Clarion Hotel, Sligo, Starting Saturday June 26th 2010 for three consecutive Saturdays

Due to funding from the AIB better Ireland campaign and the co-operation of the local HSE autism services, RainChild Leitrim are delighted to offer your son or daughter free swimming lessons.

For children and teenager’s not availing of the Summer camp we are offering a block of four free one-to-one swimming lessons with a fully qualified swimming instructor, who specialises in special needs children, in Drumshanbo.

(We may be able to arrange different locations)

Due to funding from the AIB better Ireland campaign and the co-operation of the Leitrim HSE autism services, we are delighted to offer your son or daughter a place at the above activity camp.

Suitable for 8 years old to 16 years old.

The camp will run on Sunday 11nd July, Sunday 18th July and Thursday  22nd July. From 11am to 4pm.

It is located in the Lough Allen Adventure Centre, Ballinagleragh, Co Leitrim. (www.loughallenadventure.com)

 Hi all,  My name is Aoife and I am a postgraduate psychology student in Trinity College. At the moment I am conducting research on the adaptation of families with a child (or children) with autism spectrum disorders, their coping resources and resilience. The project is under the supervision of Dr. Elizabeth Nixon.

Wearing Blue for ..
World Autism Day Friday 2nd April 2010...

Location: This is not a specific location...

                     This is all over the world...

                         Wherever you are...

IN YET another blow to parents of special needs children, The Mayo News has learned that St Brid’s Special School in Castlebar may lose three of its 13 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) in June next.  St Brid’s caters for almost 25 children with severe, profound and moderate learning difficulties, as well as children with autism, all of whom require care on an almost continual basis.

Let’s celebrate Easter!
A time of spring, happiness and enjoyment. 

The Croagh Patrick Challenge is organised by a group of people from Mayo, mainly parents, who got together to raise funds for children with Autism in Mayo. They organise an event every March called the "The Seven Day in a Row Croagh Patrick Challenge". Many people take on the challenge for the full 7 days and many others support them by climbing one or more days.

Sligo Champion, Wednesday December 30 2009

Family carers across Sligo are outraged and bitterly disappointed that the Government has introduced a blanket 3.9% cut to social welfare payments to all carers.

This equates to a reduction of €8.50 per week or €442 per annum for carers in receipt of the carers allowance, they say.

First 100 Days Kit (by Autism Speaks) is "A tool kit to assist families in getting the critical information they need in the first 100 days after an autism diagnosis."  Highly recommended if  your child is has developmental delays and/or suspected/diagnosed Autism Spectrm Disorder.  (The booklet is at the bottom of this article)

What topics does the booklet cover? 

By Maresa Fagan, Roscommon Herald, 8th December 2009.

Christmas has come early for five year-old Calum Leyden from Strokestown. Calum is enjoying a new lease of life thanks to his new canine companion, Juni, an assistance dog for families with children with Autism.

DOZENS of autistic children will not get specialist trained assistance dogs next year because of Government cutbacks. The Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind (IGDB) said it needs €1.5 million in 2010 to train another 40 assistance dogs for families of children with autism, like it did this year.