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Dear Parents/Guardians,
My name is Carol Chamberlain. I'm a 3rd year Bachelor of Arts (BA) student in Childcare Management in Athlone Institute of Technology, Westmeath.
I'm currently conducting a research study for my presentation on children with disabilities (3 years) and social inclusion in a Childcare setting paying particular attention to how the facility has been modified to cater for their needs . I was wondering if you would be willing to help me by filling out a questionnaire?
The Abbey Community College in Boyle is being approved to deliver classes in Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
It's one of 39 schools nationwide to get the go ahead for the programme, which starts this September.
Roscommon based Senator John Kelly who’s welcoming the announcement, says it's important that these classes, which facilitate the education of children with severe autism, are part of the mainstream system, thereby aiding their integration into the wider school community.
It is expected that these classes will assist six children with ASD, which will be delivered by a dedicated teacher and two special needs assistants.
Local TD Frank Feighan is also welcoming the announcement.
Source: shannonside.ie, 1st Sept, 2011
Specialised facilities for children with autism have been announced for four Galway schools this term.
The Autism Spectrum Disorder Units aim to integrate children with severe autism into the wider school community.
These facilities will be provided in Merlin Woods National School in Doughiska, Gort Community School, Archbishop McHale College in Tuam and Gairmscoil Mhuire in Athenry.
The 6 pupil classes are delivered by a dedicated teacher with the support of two special needs assistants.
Source: Galway News, 1st Sept 2011
ABA Ireland was established as a non-profit charitable organisation with following aims:
To provide free ABA information and educational services (such as workshops, parent training/education, information newsletter) to members of the community who would derive benefit, such as parents of typically-developing children with problem behaviour, parents of children with autism, individuals with acquired brain injury. The aim is to help especially those who may not be able to afford fees for a behaviour analyst.
200 SNAs to be removed from schools. Will know today if my child's school is one! Mr Ruairí Quinn will regret his decision. What a U-turn!!
Description:
I have just completed a B.Ed. degree in St. Patrick's College and so am a qualified primary teacher. I also have 3 and a half years of experience in working with children with autism and other learning difficulties.
I am available to complete July Provision in the Leitrim area.
If interested please contact me.
Cuts to special needs resources deplorable
As a primary school teacher and a parent, I deplore the latest cynical move by the Department of Education and Skills (DES) which has "paused" any resource hours being allocated to any child with special needs.
Resulting from their latest circular, no new child presenting with special needs will be granted resource hours, but must be included in mainstream classes.
The DES has two huge questions to answer, in accounting for this action. How are they cherishing and supporting the child with special needs, by reducing/removing their support system? And how are they cherishing the children without special needs, who will have drastically reduced access to teacher time?
Maire Lineen
Dunboyne, Co Meath
Source: Letters Page, Irish Times, 1st April 2011
In-door Adventure Play CentreKidz & Co in Mullingar are hosting their third World Autism Awareness Day on Saturday 2nd April 2011. The United Nations declared April 2nd World Autism Awareness Day to increase and develop world knowledge of autism. There is free entry for families who are a member of a local or national ASD group (please specify which organisation on reception).
Dr Penny Rogers (Clinical Psychologist) will be doing free screening for Autism all day (11.00 to 5.00pm), which will help parents to decide whether they need to obtain a diagnostic assessment to rule out an Autism Spectrum Disorder. There will also be information available on Autism Spectrum Disorders and free face-painting. Collection buckets available for local Autism charities.
An Introduction to Person Centred Planning (Dublin, Cork, Longford workshops)
Person-centred planning has at its core a belief that all people have the right to plan lives that are personally meaningful and satisfying, that all people have talents and strengths and the right and the responsibility to develop.
This workshop will give participants a better understanding of the Person Centred Planning process by exploring the types of planning that focus on gifts, capacities and strengths of individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism
Venue: Longford Arms Hotel, Longford
Date: 12th February 2011
How to Advocate for your family member with a disability (Dublin, Cork, Longford workshops)
Family members are natural advocates as they know their relation better than anyone else.
In this workshop you will learn how to present your concerns and problems in writing, prepare for meetings, and search for win-win solutions.
Your will learn how to use your emotions as a source of energy and power, and how to focus on getting appropriate services and supports for your family member with Intellectual Disability or Autism.
Venue: Longford Arms Hotel, Longford
Date: 5th March 2011
Fee: 10 Euro per Person per Workshop, Advanced booking is advisable
How to build Circles of Support (Dublin, Cork, Longford workshops)
The idea of a Circle of Support is simple, to help someone establish a social network.
When people have experienced broken relationships and systems which segregate and disempower, creating such a network requires deliberate action to make opportunities for natural relationships to flourish.
This workshop aims to assist people to develop, facilitate and maintain Circles of Support that will make positive life changes.
Venue: Longford Arms Hotel, Longford
Date: 2nd April 2011
I attach a brouchure on a seminar which the Leitrim/West Cavan Branch of Down Syndrome Ireland is organising on Special Education Needs and which will take place in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim on November 11th.
Gardai are believed to have initiated an investigation into the reported theft of thousands of euro from a fund set up to manage the day-to-day spending of clients of the Cregg House facility for people with intellectual disability. There are currently approximately 200 special needs children and adults dependent on the service provided at the Ballincar premises.
Local politicians criticised cuts in the number of Special Needs Assistants in Longford and Westmeath this week but the exact detail of the cuts remain unclear. The Department of Education and Skills said this week that it is unable to release details with regard to the cutbacks in Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) in Co Longford schools. "The figures relating to the cuts are not available on a regional basis," the spokesperson said.
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.
Today Ireland’s first one stop website for autism information was launched today. www.autismsupport.ie is the result of a partnership between Irish Autism Action, Gheel Autism Services, Aspire, Tuiscint (Eastern Vocational Enterprises ltd), ABHAILE/Drogheda ABACAS School for Children with Autism and Cork Association for Autism.
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.
"Family carers are the only social welfare recipients who have to work for their payment by providing full time care in the home to older people, those sick and disabled and have already suffered a 2% decrease in welfare payments due to the abolishment of the Christmas bonus this year.
People with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) are unique individuals but sometimes it is helpful to talk about groups of people who have common concerns, have distinctive needs, face barriers to being included and who need help to fight for their equal rights.
People with profound and multiple learning disabilities:
- have more than one disability
- have a profound learning disability
- have great difficulty communicating
- need high levels of support
- may have additional sensory or physical disabilities, complex health needs
or mental health difficulties
PARENTS of autistic children claim there has been a massive increase in the numbers being refused a vital home care allowance since the scheme was taken over by the Department of Social and Family Affairs.
Story by Kitty Holland, Irish Times, 4th Sept 2009
THE NEW swine flu vaccine, when it becomes available here in coming weeks, will only be available with a mercury-based preservative included. The same vaccine will be available in the US both with and without the substance - the mercury-free form for pregnant women and young children.
The HSE has confirmed it plans only to acquire the vaccine in doses containing the mercury-based preservative Thimerosal. "The vaccine will be administered to everybody including pregnant women on the basis of informed consent," a HSE spokesman said.
Story and Copyright: Leitrim Observer; Story: Fiona Heavey.
On Monday, August 24 the Department of Education officially sanctioned the re-location of St Joseph's Special Needs Outreach Class into Marian College, Mohill as well as providing €60,000 of funding to modify the building for wheelchair access.
Copyright: Leitrim Observer. Article by: Fiona Heavey. Eleven of Leitrim's most vulnerable Special Needs children will be left out in the cold next week, with no suitable school available for them to attend in the county. Parents of these Special Needs children are facing the prospect that their children who require round the clock care will have no school to attend this year after unofficially learning that the Department of Education refused funding for the basic improvements of Marian College, Mohill which were necessary for the children to move into.
The National Institute for Intellectual Disability (NIID)
Arts Building, Trinity College Dublin
Places Available on some Workshops
Each workshop lasts for three days. Workshops are run by Trinity staff and International speakers. Each day begins with a plenary session from one of the International speakers
If you are interested in...
...Early Intervention
The Irish Times, 6 July 2009. By Carl O'Brien.
FAMILIES OF children with autism say a change in Government policy will make it much harder to appoint appropriate tutors to help their children reach their full potential.
Notification of Transitional Arrangements being put in place in relation to the outcome of the review of all Special Needs Assistant posts in primary, special and post-primary schools by the National Council for Special Education
1. Introduction
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