This article is from page 4 of the 2006-06-27 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
THE Department of Education has revoked an autistic girl’s essential after school education without any notice to her family.
Isabelle Séquin, who attends Carrigaholt National School with her twin sister Clara, was denied her home tuition last April without any explanation.
When her parent’s Pat and Daniele inquired about the service that supported their daughter to attend the local school, they were told the practice was being discontinued as she was attending school full time.
Isabelle’s mother said that the two hours tuition every evening was vital for their daughter if she was to continue her education, as it helped her with communication and integration.
This is just one in a series of disappointments for the young family, since Isabelle was first diagnosed with Cerebral Palsey at seven months.
At two and a half she was further diagnosed with autism.
During her pre-school years the little girl was provided with the services necessary to help her learn to communicate.
When she started primary school at five, it was on condition that a specialised team including a senior psychologist, social worker and speech therapist was in place. A special needs assistance was also employed at the primary school.
But in the first 12 months of her primary school education the senior phsychologist moved on to another job. The speech therapist she saw just three times a year, also left the position and neither were replaced.
Since then the little girl has managed with just five hours of remedial teaching a week and after school tuition, which the government have now taken from the little girl.
“It is difficult enough to deal with this situation, with all the stresses and strains, but then you have to battle for every little bit,” said Isabelle’s distraught mother.
“She had more at pre-school. The (national) school is doing the best they can, but there are 15 children in the classroom and four classes. One hour of remedial teaching a day is not adequate,” she said.
“The home assistance was the only service available to progress children with autism. The services in schools have not been replaced, or improved but the Department of Education is removing the one service in place.”
Up to 14 children on the west Clare peninsula have been diagnosed with autism, and Ms Séquin says that the cancelling of the service is affecting the majority of these families.
The Department of Education said it “no longer provides home tuition grants where a child has secured a school placement.”