Irish Society for Autism

We have had a busy year and are looking forward to our 50th Anniversary in 2013!

Before we pack up for the holidays we want to remind you to help us celebrate our 50th Anniversary providing services for people with autism by joining us for our International Autism Conference being held in the Convention Centre Dublin on World Autism Day, the 3rd and 4th April 2013.

The central theme of the conference will be “The Next Generation” focusing on enhanced legislation, increased awareness, autism-specific education, early diagnosis and intervention and the target audience includes parents of people with Autism, professionals who work in the field of Autism, educators, teachers, and policy makers.
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For people with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) the right to be involved in all decisions affecting their future is the most important component in transitioning from dependency to independency. For the whole of his (her) life any person with an ASD must be the single most important contributor in the many decisions and choices in managing their daily life. It is not always possible for this group of people to be able to envisage the full consequences of their wishes which inform and influence their expressed opinions. Read More…

Specialist education for those with autism is not only often confined to education as ‘therapy’ but is also thought of as segregated education. There is too much emphasis on the location of education and insufficient emphasis on its nature. Specialist education can take place in any setting. What is needed are:

• Knowledgeable and well-resourced staff: Staff need a range of skills and approaches, based on sound evidence-based principles, of what is likely to be helpful for individuals on the autism spectrum. Read More…