Ms Miriam Kenny:

There must be a realisation that when a child with autism goes into second level school it can be exceptionally challenging for them, particularly if they have already maybe managed in a mainstream setting. When they get into secondary school the complexity of trying to manage a very busy school and trying to manage the complexity of movement in and out of different classrooms is excessively stressful. In one way, the need could be higher in a secondary school. Some of these children could have managed within the mainstream environment at primary school, but not at second level. Again, we need to plan. If we are not planning then these children will go from one school to the next without proper support. These range from young children who need to be in an early intervention class and who need proper support, then there are children who need support in primary level and then again into secondary school. We must also consider the universities, which are considering starting to look at autism-friendly universities. If the child gets that far then we must look at those pathways.

Coming back to the secondary schools, however, at all times it can be excessively stressful for students within the mainstream setting. If they had somewhere to go within the school and if they had autism classes in the school, then they can be supported. Within that, we are talking about sensory rooms, sensory spaces, and access to therapeutic services within the school or within a counselling service. At all times, parents need to be met with compassion. By this I mean that the system is trying to support the family to ensure that the child remains in school, and in remaining in school receives access to their education and their potential in the future. This is something that really needs to be looked at.

In the context of models within that, there are some fantastic educators working in education at second level schools who could be spoken to and who could really have a lot to say and a lot of input to give around what is working. I am aware there is a school in Kinsale that has seven classes for children with special educational needs. Some of those classes are for children with autism, and some are for children with moderate learning disability. That is on-site in the area. It does work by doing it in different areas. We really need to start planning for that because all of these children are going to move through a system, and they need support at all times.