Last minute reprieve for autistic pupils

PARENTS of autistic children who campaigned tirelessly to keep their youngsters in a special school yesterday gave a cautious welcome to a fresh offer from the country’s education chiefs.

Funds raised to educate nine youngsters attending St Catherine’s ABA School in Barnacoyle, Co Wicklow, were due to run out next week, leaving the children with nowhere to go.

Their parents, and up to 100 supporters, picketed the Dáil yesterday demanding funding to keep all nine in the pre-school that they have attended since September.

The Department of Education and Science confirmed that The National Council for Special Education yesterday advised the school that a third pre-school/early intervention class, for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD), is being sanctioned with immediate effect.

But members of Barnacoyle Parents’ Group raised concerns over whether the funding will cover all nine places and specialised one-to-one applied behavioural analysis (ABA), sessions, which have been scientifically proven to enhance autism sufferers’ academic and social skills.

“Until we get clarification on what exactly is being offered I won’t be jumping for joy,” said Trevor Dagg, whose three-year-old daughter Robyn was among the children affected, “I am sceptical dealing with these people. They don’t really understand the severity of the decisions they make.”

Two years ago the pre-school was set up as a centre of excellence for children with ASD, offering specialised applied behavioural analysis.

Parents say the children’s social skills and behaviour have exceeded all expectations, but they fear that without continuous specialist care, they will regress and possibly never attend mainstream school or integrate with society.