April 4th 2008:

Press Release from Castleknock Educate Together National School on its Special Needs Unit

We are delighted to let you know that we have been informed by Beechpark Services that they have received adequate funding to allow us open our Special Needs Unit in September 2008. Our whole school community is relieved that we will now be able to provide education, with the support of the multi-disciplinary team, to the children who desperately need them and we look forward to working with Beechpark Services in the future.

Our school has had a high media profile in recent months as we highlighted the need for access to these resources before opening our unit. While this was stressful and a huge distraction, we felt very strongly about all the issues involved. No doubt this media profile, coupled with the strong campaign run by a local parent, was instrumental in the decision to provide the necessary funding.

We would like to express our gratitude to our Patron, Educate Together, the IPPN and the I.N.T.O for their statements of support. Sincere thanks is also due to local and national media.  We also appreciate the support of local and national politicians. Without their persistent encouragement we would not have achieved our aim.

In the light of the I.P.P.N’s recent survey (www.ippn.ie) and the experiences of colleagues who contacted us, we hope that all other such units will receive the funding that they require to  meet the needs of the children in their care.

 

Tuesday April 1st:

IPPN Survey on Autism Provision

• more on Autistic Unit