Dad fears for daughter’s future as cuts loom

THE father of a secondary student with mild learning
disabilities has expressed fears about cuts imposed by the HSE on services for
intellectually disabled school leavers.

The Minister of State with responsibility for
disability, Kathleen Lynch TD (Lab), said earlier this month that the HSE would
not provide any additional funding for school leavers with intellectual
disabilities this year.

Parents and families of teenagers say they fear the
closure of day services due to the cutbacks will impact on their development
and diminish their chances of finding employment.

Last year, the HSE allocated e10 million to various
service providers catering for those over 18-years-of-age who require day
services and respite care.

But this year the executive has not allocated any
funding for the estimated 650 teenagers who are due to leave school in the
summer.

Peter Cullen, from Stillorgan, fears the cuts could
jeopardise the future employment prospects of his 17-year-old daughter, Sinead,
who attends St Augustine’s School for children with special needs in Blackrock.

Sinead, who has a mild learning impairment, is due to
finish her studies at the school in June.

He and his wife Anne had hoped to find a place for
Sinead in a local organisation that provides courses for children with
intellectual disabilities that help them to make the transition from school to
the workplace.

However, since the HSE announced the recent cutbacks
they have been unable to find a suitable course for her.

“There are a number of institutions that cater for
children with special needs at that age,

? Mr Cullen said.

“They provide
programmes for children that help them get a job.

“There is no alternative for Sinead. She really
needs the help now to get into the workforce. She will be stranded without any
alternatives if the HSE does not make any further places available.

“The organisations themselves have programmes in
place,

? he added.

“They want to offer these programmes and have places but no
funding.

?

Speaking in the Dáil recently, Deputy Olivia Mitchell
(FG) said the State would be abandoning intellectually disabled children if the
HSE did not reverse the cuts.

“If there are no health funded day services provided
this summer when the Department of Education’s statutory obligation to
18-year-olds is finished, then many of these children are so disabled they may
never leave home again,

? she said.

“We cannot abandon them or their families in
this way.

“I’m calling on the Minister to find sufficient
funding to ensure even a basic day service for these children.

?

Brian Gallagher is the CEO of Templeogue based
Cheeverstown House, which provides courses for school leavers to help them find
employment.

According to Mr Gallagher, they have not received any
additional funding from the HSE this year to provide these services for school
leavers. He said this would have a devastating impact on the lives of many
intellectually disabled children.

“If people engaged in the process of rehabilitation
and training in supported employment then there is a hope that we can support
them in getting a job in a company,

? he said.

“But these cuts significantly jeopardise their
development as a person and their right to be treated as an equal.

?

A spokesperson the HSE said it was their policy not to
comment on individual cases.

However, the spokesperson did say that in the National
HSE Service Plan 2012, disability services will be required to cater for
demographic pressures, such as new services for school leavers and emergency
residential placements from within their existing budgets.

“The HSE is currently engaging with service providers
in this regard to establish their capacity to respond to identified needs,

? the
spokesperson added.

“This process is ongoing.

?