The attitude of the state to special needs is utterly Myopic

President Higgins at NUI Galway

A recent article in the Examiner by Dr Tony Humphries entitled Core Connection was the last straw for so many parents of Autistic children in Ireland. The article maintained that “the adults they researched live predominantly in their heads and possess few or no heart qualities”. His article effectively said that autism was caused by a lack of love from the parents. His article was systematically discredited by parents, journalists and experts alike. However, his attitude is not unique. While it flies in the face of the reality for families with special needs children it is a view shared by some of those in key decision making positions. “Blame the parents”, is their mantra.

Parents of children with special needs face an incredible uphill struggle in Ireland. The principle of early intervention is a sound one. It has two main benefits. When children are treated at an early stage of development, many potential difficulties can be bypassed. For example, speech therapy is more effective, the earlier it starts. Secondly, costly institutional care can be avoided if a child with special needs gains crucial self-reliance skills at an early age.

Unfortunately early intervention is far from a reality in Ireland and it is really only available to people who happen to have a bit of spare cash. The state system of diagnosis is horrifically slow, with waiting lists at every turn. So the only easy way to get an early diagnosis is by getting it privately. Even with a diagnosis, services are very hard to get.

The argument for early intervention holds little sway with the department of finance because long-term savings are never valued to the same extent as short-term ones.

Parents of special needs children need far more care and attention than other parents. What they actually get is the opposite. They face a constant battle for rights that don’t really exist, an endless entanglement in red tape and constant pressure to fundraise for services which should be provided by the state but are actually provided by charities.

Over the years many parents have gone to court in order to get the required services for their children. The reality is that the state does not provide adequate services for special needs children and their families. Rather than proactively helping parents along their difficult paths, endless blockages are put in their way. People who get carers allowance are constantly being asked to justify themselves and fill in forms. Surely this could be done through the schools and other institutions involved rather than the constant harassment of parents.

The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004, states that “a child with special educational needs shall be educated in an inclusive environment with children who do not have such needs”. It also talks about “inclusion” rather than “exclusion” and contains many other progressive measures. However, most of the provisions outlined in the Act have not been implemented. Recent budgetary cutbacks have certainly not improved things but are perhaps used as an excuse.

The reluctance to fully implement the EPSEN Act is myopic. The long term social and financial benefits of early intervention are clear. We need a way to ensure that long term benefits can over-ride short-term financial considerations. It really shouldn’t be that difficult to achieve.