Madam, - In response to Cormac Rennick's letter of October 2nd, I wish to add my voice to the call on the Minister for Education and Science to respond positively to the proposals for ABA units to be set up around the country.
I also want to call on the Minister to direct the National Council for Special Education to provide immediate training for teachers already working in autism classes around the country. I was appointed to such a class in September 2005 and was almost abandoned there with very little professional support.
I am a parent of a child with autism and so had previous experience of autism and some basic ABA training, but even this did not prepare me for the job in hand. There is an urgent need for these teachers to be given training and comprehensive professional support such as speech therapy, occupational therapy and psychology to enable them to provide a meaningful and relevant education for their pupils.
These children do not have time to wait. They need, and are entitled to, an appropriate education and they need it now. - Yours, etc,
NUALA UÍ LAIMHÍN, Autism Class Teacher, Foxford National School, Foxford, Co Mayo.