Parents of autistic son return to court for appeal
The High Court ruled Cian and Yvonne O Cuanacháin’s son Seán was entitled to speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and other services from the health authorities. But it rejected the major part of their case for the Department of Education to support his ongoing education through the applied behavioural analysis (ABA) method, which had already helped him to progress in his social and communication skills, as well as addressing his severely challenging behaviour.
Since then, while he is registered in a special school near his home in Co Wicklow, his parents have continued to have him taught in an ABA class – but the department wants him to learn with other autistic pupils in a setting that uses other teaching methods as well.
