AUTISM AWARENESS

to

Commemorate World Autism Awareness Day 2009

“Dr. Temple Grandin”

“My Experiences with Autism, from Early Childhood to a Successful Career”

Saturday 28th March 2009

Trinity Centre, St. James’s Hospital, Dublin, 8.

9.00 – 9.30 a.m. Registration

9.30 – 10.00 a.m. Introduction

Professor Michael Fitzgerald

10.00 – 11.15 a.m. “My Experiences with Autism, from Early Childhood to a

Successful Career”

Dr. Temple Grandin

11.15 – 11.30 a.m. Refreshments

11.30 – 12.30 p.m. “My Experiences with Autism, from Early Childhood to a

Successful Career” (contd)

Dr. Temple Grandin

12.30 p.m. Close

Cost: €30.00 per person

For further information on booking please contact The Irish Society for Autism, Unity Buildings, 16, Lower O’Connell Street, D.1.

Phone: 01-8744684 / Fax: 01-8744224 / Email:
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PLEASE NOTE: NO REFUNDS WILL BE ISSUED

The Irish Society for Autism has won the National AIB Better Ireland Millennium Award. The Society received the award of £125,000 in recognition of its development of services of excellence for people with Autism in Ireland. The Society has been in forefront of developing residential and vocational services on a national basis. The Society originally developed Dunfirth Farm near Enfield, Co. Meath as a residential service based on the organic farm model. More recently the Society has been developing services in Claregalway, and Galway city and new development at Athboy, Co. Meath, Kilmore, Co. Wexford, and Kinnegad, Co. Westmeath are currently coming on stream.

The Society has developed Dunfirth Farm near Enfield in 1983 as a model of excellence for people with Autism. Dunfirth Farm now provides for up to thirty seven young people with Autism, who live and work in a spacious rural environment. The Society provides a non-aversive environment designed to allow the person with Autism to grow and develop as much as possible. Dunfirth provides a range of activities including organic vegetable growing, poultry, woodwork, bakery and pottery production.

This year the Society is developing two similar services based on the Dunfirth model. Moygrehan House at Athboy, Co. Meath will provide for up to six young people with Autism.

A further four people will be provided with a service at Cluain Farm, Kinnegad, Co. Westmeath. The Society is currently planning to develop further accommodation at Cluain Farm which will provide for up to 12 extra places over the next two or three years.
The services developed in collaboration with the regional Health Boards are designed to provide a high quality of life to people with Autism. The philosophy of the Society is based on a non-aversive approach, where the person with Autism is allowed to grow and develop to his potential despite the restricting nature of his Autism.

The award was presented to the Society on Saturday night (15th January, 2000) at a special televised show live from the Point Theatre presented by Mr. Gay Byrne.

Receiving the award on behalf of the Society, Mr. Pat Matthews, Executive Director, said that the award was a significant recognition of the Society as a national organisation which could provide high quality services to people with Autism.

“The award was an endorsement of the Society’s efforts over the last thirty or more years in advocating and campaigning on behalf of all people with Autism and their families”, he said.

Autism is a devastating condition which results in impaired communication and social skills. The person with Autism needs special help and assistance to overcome these barriers. On behalf of the Society, Mr. Matthews thanked everybody who has worked tirelessly over the years to gain improvement for people with Autism.

Education and Science Minister, Dr Michael Woods today announced the appointment of a Task Force to examine models of education provision for children with Autism. The Task Force, which will begin its work early in September, will report within three months. It will be chaired by Ms Sheelagh Drudy, Professor of Education at University College, Dublin.

"I am anxious to ensure that we make proper educational provision for children with Autism and that we make real progress in mainstreaming autistic children", said the Minister. He added that the report of the Task Force will be an important input into his decisions on how to improve the educational responses to the needs of these children. The Task Force will be assisted in its work by leading experts from Ireland, United States and Europe.

Dr Woods pointed out that the Government has already significantly improved the educational provision for children with special needs. For the first time children with special needs are entitled to an automatic response to those needs. "I am already allocating significant resources for educational provision for children with Autism and special classes are being established with a pupil teacher ratio of 6 to 1. However, I want to see how best to move forward for children with Autism and for this reason am establishing the Task Force to inform the development of policy in this area" he said.

The Task Force includes national and international experts. The Minister said he was setting the tight timescale because he is anxious to respond to the report as early as possible.

Details of the Terms of Reference are attached.

21 August, 2000.
Terms of Reference of Task Force on Autism

Having regard to the responsibility of the State to make adequate educational provision for all children with special needs, including children with autism.

Having regard to the distinct educational needs of certain children with autism.

Having regard to the State’s commitment to ensuring that the special educational needs of children with autism are properly addressed within the educational system.

Having regard to the range of special education provision and support services already made available to children with autism in special schools, special classes attached to ordinary schools; and in integrated settings, and

Having regard to the desirability of ensuring that the services made available to children with autism reflect best international practice.

The Task Force on Autism will:
Review the current range of educational provision and the support services available to children with autism in Ireland.

Assess the adequacy of current educational provision and support services, having regard to the range of special needs which can arise and the need to address such needs either in integrated settings or by way of special dedicated provision.

Make such recommendations as are considered appropriate for the development or adjustment of existing policy approaches, educational provision and support services, in order to ensure the delivery of an appropriate, effective and efficient education service to children with autism.

Make such further recommendations as the Task Force considers appropriate in relation to the above matters.