In 2009, The Red Door joined with other "ABA Pilot" schools to apply for a new Patron Body to be recognised by the Department of Education. In July 2010, this application was accepted. Member ABA school are now in the process of changing to Special School status.
The "Deal" with the Department of Education
In July 2010, Autism Ireland was approved as a patron for special schools for children with autism and complex needs. The autism specific education will be provided using "evidence based educatiion interventions" including Applied Behaviour Analysis. Such schools will also provide appropriate therapy supports.
Discussions between the Department of Education and Irish Autism Action, which started in 2007, concluded in July 2010 with the Department offering Special School status to the existing pilot ABA schools. The terms of this offer resulted in many frank exchanges of views within the ABA school community, with the majority of schools concluding that this offer should be accepted. Advocates of this position see recognition as Special Schools as being the start of a process of getting the Department to accept the benefits of "evidence-based interventions" including ABA. However, the Department's offer demands that the Special Schools are specifically not "ABA schools" and instead, provide a range of "interventions / approaches, including PECS, TEACCH and ABA".
Those who took a negative view on the offer believe that ABA was being misunderstood in the terms being offered, and that the structure of Principal/Teacher/SNA would not be compatible with the delivery and supervision of programs based on the science of Applied Behaviour Analysis. Existing ABA tutor posts are being replaced by qualified teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNA's). The post of the existing BCBA Director of Education is also temporary and undefined, in terms of role and responsibility.
After draft details of the "deal" were distributed in March/April 2010, a Working Group within the ABA schools looked into the possibility of a better alternative structure, on the basis that it would be a considerable challenge to maintain the existing quality programs provided by ABA schools within the Special School structure. But for a number of reasons, including the perceived threat to continued funding if the Department's offer was not accepted, the majority of the Pilot ABA schools chose to accept the offer. The Working Group advocated that before any change in structure was imposed on the existing ABA schools, an independent review process be undertaken so as to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the existing schools, and to offer an informed view on the success (or othewise) of the ABA schools.
Whilst many parents at The Red Door were not individually supportive of the terms of the proposal, The Red Door Board accepted the de-facto requirement to accept the proposal, and undertook to put every effort into making the new structure work in the very best interests of the pupils at The Red Door.
Documentation
For those interested in the relevant documents and discussions that took place in recent months (Spring 2010), you should refer to the ABA Schools Forum web-site.
Specific Department of Education legislation, circulars and information publications that are relevant to Special Schools, and referenced in the "deal" are listed here separately.
International perspective
It is interesting to note that many of our international colleagues have viewed these developments with dismay. Whilst the Irish media contained a few articles on the above developments, the respected ASAT organisation reacted with horror at the threat to our ABA schools, describing it as "educational malpractice". They described the Department's preferred eclectic model as "what they want, what they like, what is easiest, what is cheapest, and what they already know". Let's hope we can use our experience of behaviour to change the Department's view on the benefits of the application of "evidence-based intereventions, inclusive of ABA".
What happens next?
Recruitment of the new Principal of the new Special School will be followed by recruitment of qualified teachers. Existing ABA tutors at The Red Door will be re-hired as SNA's. The Director post will continue to be funded by the Department for a limited period. However, as noted above, the role and responsibility of this post is yet to be defined and agreed.
Members of Autism Ireland
The 7 member schools who are members of Autism Ireland (Patron Body) are:
- ABACAS Kilbarrack, Dublin
- ABACAS Kilnamanagh, Dublin
- ABACAS Drogheda
- Abalta School, Galway
- Stepping Stones, Kildare
- The Jonah Project, Waterford
- The Red Door, Dublin
Each member school can nominate 2 Directors onto the Board of Autism Ireland.
Other ABA Schools
The first ABA school in Ireland started in 1998, in Cork. Funded as a "pilot project" by Minister Michael Martin, CABAS was formed by parents of children with autism. Cabas continued to operate, and is likely to transfer to Special School status under separate patronage.
Separately, the Saplings group of schools are members of a separate Saplings Patron Body, including their schools in:
- Kill, Co. Kildare
- Rathfarnham, Dublin
- Mullingar
- Goresbridge, Co. Kilkenny
- Carlow
"Applicant Schools" are those parent-formed schools which, to date, have not been recognised or funded by the Dept of Education, and whose status was to be re-considered by the Dept of Education once the status of the existing "Pilot Schools" had been addressed. Many of these applicant schools have either merged with other pilot or mainstream schools or ceased to operate. Originally, Home Tuition Grants were used to part-fund these applicant schools:
- Achieve ABA, North Co. Dublin - still open and very much active
- Abacas, Dundalk
- Kerry Autism Action
- Bluebell, Limerick
Separately, parents at St. Catherine's / Barnacoyle have expressed the wish to avail of any new structure and status that may arise out of the current discussions, to reflect their use of the science of ABA in their school.
Another ABA Centre that moved some time ago into an existing school is CAN, Cottage Autism Network, in Wexford. CAN now operates as a parent support group.
Origins of the Structural Change
The current round of discussions with the Dept of Education originated in the commitment in the Programme for Government 2007, which included the following:
- Commit to long-term funding for the 12 centres that are currently in the ABA pilot scheme, subject to agreement with the Department of Education on standards that will enable the Department to
support them as primary schools for children with autism.
Prior to 2007, a first round of discussions between the Department and IAA was initiated by Minister Dempsey, who asked the Pilot Schools to draw up a template for ABA Schools. Whilst this template was drawn up, the subsequent discussions did not reach an agreed conclusion.
The Programme for Government 2007 also included other commitments relevant to students with special needs:
- Prioritise early assessment and increase the number of educational psychologists in the Department of Education’s NEPS service to 200 by 2009
- Expand pre-school provision around the country to ensure early intervention
- Provide each child with special needs with the right to an Individual Education Plan. This will ensure
that each child has a tailored programme to meet their unique individual needs. In the case of
children with autism, the Plan will enable them to benefit from a range of teaching approaches,
including PECS, ABA and TEACCH, as appropriate - Implement the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act in full.
All parents of children with special needs should to be aware of the necessity to maintain political pressure to ensure that the rights and entitlements to the very best services, both educational and health, are fulfilled by the State.