State bid to take over autism schools

THE Department of Education has written to the boards of management of 12 schools teaching children with autism offering to take over the long-term funding of their schools.

It’s expected there will be much controversy among boards of management and parents as they decide whether to accept the new structure, which while guaranteeing future funding, is likely to dilute the role of Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) programmes in the pilot project schools.

It is believed the department, as part of its offer, wants to replace the ABA tutors with primary school teachers and have suggested providing a certain level of ABA training to special needs assistants (SNAs).