XN000022-1990-06-27 — Page 37

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 1990

WERE PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN WITH AUTISM OR AUTISTIC FEATURES WHO ASSESSED AS NOT BEING IN NEED OF THE SPECIAL PROVISION DESCRIBED ABOVE WERE AUFITTED TO EARLY EDUCATION AND TRAINING CENTRES (EETC), C2 INTEGRATED CHILD CARE CENTRES (ICCC) IN THE USUAL WAY, HE SAID.

SCCC'S

THE MAJORITY OF BE PROVIDED

AS FOR SCHOOL SERVICES, MR SHIPMAN SAID AS AUTISTIC CHILDREN WERE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED, THEY WOULD

ΤΟ SPECIAL SCHOOLS INTELLECTUAL FUNCTIONING AT THE AGE OF SIX.

PLACES

ACCORDING

THEIR

DIAGNOSED

LEVEL OF

THESE SCHOOLS ALREADY HAD A REDUCED CLASS SIZE OF 20 FOR MILDLY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED, 10 FOR MODERATELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED AND EIGHT ALSO HAD THE SUPPORT OF FOR SEVERELY MENTALLY

AN EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST, ADDITIONAL SPECIALIST SPEECH THERAPY PERSONNEL, AND SO ON.

AND HANDICAPPED STAFF SUCH AS

"A SPECIAL SCHOOL FOR MENTALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN MAY APPOINT

TEACHER FOR EVERY

WITH EIGHT CHILDREN RESOURCE ONE ADDITIONAL

MORE INTENSIVE CHILDHOOD AUTISM WHO ARE ASSESSED TO HAVE A NEED FOR REMEDIAL SUPPORT IN A RESOURCE TEACHING PROGRAMME.

"AN

IS

ALSO

PROVIDED

THE

SCHOOL TO MATERIALS FOR

FOR INITIAL GRANT PURCHASE ADDITIONAL FURNITURE, EQUIPMENT AND RESOURCE THE PROGRAMME, HE SAID.

10

MR SHIPMAN ADDED THAT, IF NECESSARY, CHILDREN COULD BE REFERRED BACK TO PSYCHIATRIC CENTRES FOR FOLLOW-UP SERVICES.

IN ADDITION, PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT WAS ALSO GIVEN BY SPECIAL EDUCATION SECTION TO SPECIAL SCHOOLS IN DEVELOPING FOR AUTISTIC CHILDREN.

THE ED'S PROGRAMMES

THE SECTION

RAN

INTENSIVE

PRE-SERVICE

AND

SCHOOL-BASED

WORKSHOPS FOR TEACHERS AND SPECIALIST STAFF OF THE SCHOOLS CONCERNED.

CASEWORK AND CHILDREN

UNITS

AS FOR OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES, MR SHIPMAN SAID COUNSELLING SERVICES WERE AVAILABLE TO AUTISTIC CHILDREN AND WITH AUTISTIC FEATURES THROUGH THE SWD'S MEDICAL SOCIAL SERVICE AND FAMILY SERVICE CENTRES.

SAME

ΤΟ ARE AVAILABLE SERVICES

TO OTHER WAY AS THEY ARE

AND THEM,

THEIR MEMBERS OF THE

"OTHER SUPPORT IN THE

FAMILIES, COMMUNITY, HE SAID.

"

EXTEND THE SPECIAL

MR SHIPMAN SAID IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO PROGRAMME TO PLANNED SCCC'S IF THIS WAS JUSTIFIED BY DEMAND.

EDUCATION

A

"WHILE THE PROVISION OF SPECIAL CHILD CARE AND EARLY AND TRAINING CENTRE PLACES IS GENERALLY SATISFACTORY, THERE REMAINS

HE SAID. SHORTFALL IN INTEGRATED CHILD CARE CENTRE PLACES,

"

ON

TIME FOR THESE "THE SWD IS PLANNING TO REDUCE THE WAITING PLACES BY MAKING USE OF SURPLUS EETC AND SCCC PLACES FOR CHILDREN THE ICCC WAITING LIST.

/"TO ENSURE