A senior member of the SDLP has expressed amazement that a leading organisation providing vital support to families with Autism is receiving no government funding and doesn’t have a place on the Northern Ireland Assembly’s All Party Committee on Autism.
John Dallat (East Derry) said: “I have followed the development of PEAT, a leading provider of support to families who are living with Autism and applaud the service they provide particularly to those who cannot afford to access the private sector.
“Despite the fact that PEAT is the only autism organisation providing direct help for children and young people with autism and their families, using evidence-based practice by appropriately qualified professionals, it receives no government help.
“While there are many autism groups across the country, generally speaking, these are set up locally by parents due to the lack of support/services and their activities tend to be centred on providing advice from parent to parent, family days out and a sense of belonging in their local community. They do not, however, provide the direct individualised support for the person with autism or their family to help understand and manage challenging behaviour or teach the life skills that are required.
“After a lengthy meeting with Dr Nicola Booth, the leading Consultant Behaviour Analyst with PEAT I am very concerned that the organisation has to be run on a shoe string and has been overlooked for far too long by previous government ministers who clearly did not appreciate the absolute need to ensure all children are treated with equality and that applies in particular to children with special needs such as autism.
“Parents need to be given an informed choice following autism diagnosis and they should have access to the highly acclaimed personal services provided by PEAT. Where this is happening there has been astonishing progress particularly for children who have lived with challenging behaviour and a lack of life skills.
“This has to change and when the political parties have sorted out their own particular needs they must address the needs of ordinary people living every day without the support they would receive in England or many other parts of the developed world. In the case of autism this represents a thousand families registered with PEAT, not to mention many others that PEAT cannot reach because of the disgraceful lack of funding which in reality makes a mockery of the principal of equality as enshrined in the Good Friday Agreement.”
If you have a story or want to send a photo or video to us please contact the Derry Now editorial team on 028 7129 6600 for Derry City stories Or 028 7774 3970 for County Derry stories. Or you can email gareth@derrynews.net at any time.
