THE number of parents refused a grant towards the cost of caring for a disabled child has almost tripled since the Department of Social and Family Affairs (DoFSA) took over the scheme from the Health Service Executive (HSE).

PARENTS of children with autism have criticised the Department of Education amid claims that home education grants and special needs assistants in schools have been cut.

PROPOSED legislation to improve education rights for the disabled is worthless without proper funding, lobby groups warned last night.