Arklow Parents Appeal over Autistic Son

Wicklow News

News Archives

/ News /

Printable Version

Email this Story

Arklow Parents Appeal over Autistic Son

Thursday, June 21 2007

The parents of an autistic boy have lodged an appeal with the Supreme Court in an effort to get their son the specialist education they say he desperately needs.

Cian and Yvonne O Cuanachain are the parents of Sean (7), who is severely autistic. Last month the High Court ruled that the type of education being offered to Sean by the State was appropriate.

It refused to compel the Government to provide autism-specific education ABA (Applied Behavioural Analysis) for Sean.

The parents, who live in Arklow, Co Wicklow, say they cannot afford to pay for the full 30 hours of ABA that they and experts believe Sean needs.

"We are bewildered and devastated that the department provides special help by way of ABA education to children all over the country but has withheld that help from Sean," Mr and Mrs O Cuanachain said in a statement.

Sean is severely autistic and, according to his parents, needs 30 hours a week of ABA, an intensive teaching method that has been found effective in improving the lives of autistic children.

Before he received ABA, Sean was injuring himself regularly.

Printable Version

Email this Story