This article is from page 5 of the 2006-07-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 5 JPG
OUTRAGED parents of children with Autism met with public representatives in Kilrush last evening in an attempt to press upon them the necessity of the recently cancelled home tuition service.
The Department of Education withdrew the service from autistic children who attend mainstream education, without replacing it with any other service.
The service, according to parents, helped their children with communication skills, therefore allowing them to attend mainstream schools.
Last week, the Junior Minister for Education, Tim O’Malley said the department had a team working across the country to ensure that new services were put in place where needed.
“The decision to discontinue the home tuition grant was on the basis that the educational needs of these pupils can be best met in their individual schools,” he said.
This statement added to parent’s frustration. Also under discussion last evening was the newly sanctioned Autism Unit on the grounds of St Senan’s Primary School in Kilrush.
The unit, which is likely to receive planning permission for a prefab room at the end of August, is to provide education for six autistic children in the west Clare area.
To date, a primary school teacher and two special needs assistants have been sanctioned for the unit, which was the result of years of campaigning by stressed parents. Parents now fear, however, that the autism team required to provide the full service will not get the go ahead in time for September.