Ms Áine Lawlor:

To an extent, it is recognised that children should have access, and there has been improvement in enabling funding being provided to children. As Ms Mortell said, it is about backing up the resource because there is not just one piece. If we give somebody a device or we give them a programme and tell them to do these activities in any of our disciplines, this is not enough for all families.

Sometimes that is enough if it is a low level need. When we are thinking about a disability, however, families often need more support. Their whole system needs a level of support. We need to think about using technology and different ways of translating that. For example, we still give out paper pieces but perhaps there are other service models where we might have videos. There are parent support groups doing some of those things.

It is also about having access to more than one of those supports. We see parents say that they just had education support or were told to go to a support group. A wrap-around system is needed that meets the person's and family’s needs where they are at. It is that whole system that includes environments such as the home, school, playground or wherever it may be.