Irish Guide Dogs forced to close autism scheme wait list again amid huge demand
The national charity was forced to close its waiting list for the first time during the summer in 2012 when the waiting time for the service grew to five years.
The scheme supports children who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
The assistant dog’s primary function is to help a child by acting as a safety aid and promoting calmness.
The Cork-based charity was delighted to reopen the waiting list again in January but, within the first hour, there were 30 applications.
“We allowed the wait list to remain open until the waiting list grew to a two- to three-year time period; any longer and it is not a sustainable list,” said Irish Guide Dogs chief executive Padraig Mallon
Mr Mallon said staff and volunteers had worked hard to clear the waiting list, adding that the charity did not have the financial or human resources to grow the programme to meet the demand.
It receives 80% of its income from fundraising initiatives and voluntary donations. State funding amounts to 20%. However, statutory funding for the assistance dog programme has been cut significantly in the past few years.
Irish Guide Dogs was the first body to bring the assistance dog scheme to Europe in 2005.
An independent evaluation of the programme last year by UCC, found it had significant benefits for parents and guardians of children with ASD.
The findings will be published later this year in the British Medical Journal.
“The 240 families in Ireland who currently have one of our assistance dogs tell us of the many tangible benefits of having a dog and how it has changed their everyday lives for the better,” said Mr Mallon.
Today is World Autism Day.
Meanwhile, Health Minister James Reilly has launched AsIAm.ie, a website dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults living with and supporting those who have autism.
The organisation was founded by Adam Harris, 19, from Wicklow.
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