Funding sought for project pairing autistic children with guide dogs
The Assistance Dogs for Families of Children with Autism project was carried out last year and involved eight families. The project was carried out by the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind (IGDB) who said the project, based on a Canadian model, had been a huge success and helped transform the lives of the children and their families.
The first stage of the pilot scheme was completed before Christmas, with eight families involved. Now the second stage has begun with training being provided for another five families.
In 2003, after hearing about the Canadian scheme, parents of autistic children approached the IGDB.
Parents receive five days' training at the IGDB centre in dog handling and other skills, and the dog, which has received training similar to that of a dog for a blind person, is then tethered to the child. IGDB training manager Ken Brydon said the scheme has improved the children's interaction skills and reduced stress for parents.
"The parents can give the dog a command and the child will do whatever the dog does it's a working relationship," he said.
"The dog acts like an anchor, the child strokes the dog, so the dog is like a safety mechanism. It offers companionship and social interaction and parents have told us that it has reduced stress levels. Parents are saying that they feel normal for the first time in years."
The scheme has included children from Dublin and Cork aged from three to 12 years and with moderate to severe forms of autism.
Two of the families have said they would like schools to accommodate the dogs during the day.
Funding for the pilot scheme came from a number of different sources, including the southern area of the HSE and a bequest from a family, but additional funding is needed, with the IGDB estimating this year's costs will amount to 3m.
Parents have warmly welcomed the scheme. Noelle O'Shea from Midleton, Co Cork, said that their dog, Eve, had helped transform the life of their four-year-old girl, Sarah.
"It has made a huge difference to Sarah and to all of us," she said.
"She is a different child. It has given her independence and confidence and made her more sociable."
Meanwhile, O2 announced yesterday details of its three year community partnership with Irish Autism Action (IAA).
The company said it would donate a minimum of €100,000 to the IAA for each year of the partnership as well as investigating ways technology can help those with autism.
