Ms Teresa Griffin:

No. Let me say that this is not just an Irish phenomenon. It is quite international. In America it is known as "diagnosis for dollars" or "diagnosis for services". Many of the diagnoses are subjective. If a child is not a normal, typical, developing child and the only way of getting a resource is to label the child, people will do that. We have concerns about it and say that it is unnecessary labelling for resource purposes. As there can be confusion about it, it needs to be stated categorically that under the new model we are still referring to the need for assessment, but it is assessment to inform teaching and learning or assessment to inform parents about how to better support their children. It is not necessarily to have a child labelled as having an autism spectrum disorder, ASD, or as having an emotional behaviour disturbance. Labels are for life. I have stated it at this forum before. When we apply for a visa to go to America, we are asked if we have ever been diagnosed as having an emotional or behavioural disturbance. I do not know what happens if the answer is yes, but I would not like to lie to the US authorities.