In February 2004 St. Catherine's set up Barnacoyle as centre of excellence to facilitate education for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The method of education used is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) which is scientifically proven to be the most effective method to be used when educating children with ASD.

Children with ASD would have difficulty in language skills, development and social skills, imagination and imitation. To find out more information about ASD click here.

This service has been running very successfully over the past 2 and ˝ years with 8 children to date progressing into mainstream education and a further child progressing on to an autism specific outreach class attached to a main stream school. All the children attending Barnacoyle have made significant progress in their overall development as a result of having one to one access to an ABA tutor. Some children that were non verbal now have words and can now communicate with their parents. Some children are now playing and interacting with their classmates, siblings and parents which they never did before.

On Wednesday 8th February 2006 the parents of the children attending Barnacoyle were invited to a meeting at the centre. Harry Cullen, acting CEO of St Catherine's, informed everyone that they had not received notification for additional state funding essential to maintain and develop the Barnacoyle service. Therefore without any sanctions St Catherine's would not be able to continue the ABA service the children desperately need beyond the 31st March 2006. This was devastating news for everyone involved at Barnacoyle; the parents, the teachers and the school.

Distraught parents and their friends and families protested outside Dáil Eireann on the 22nd March last in the hope of the state would realise the devastating effect their lack of financial recognitition, for the excellence service St Catherine's was financially struggling to maintain, would have on the lives of the children and their familes effected by Autism in Co Wicklow.

Following the protest the Department of Education & Science agreed to restricted funding up until the end of June last. While all funding is welcome unfortunately the state's contribution was totally inadequate to meet the running costs of the children's education. The state totally failed to recognise ABA which is the essential key element to the children having the opportunity to reach their potential. There are currently 18 children attending the pre school in Barnacoyle and a further six children attending the Autism Specific ABA post primary class. To date the state still continues to fail to recognise and resource adequately the vital service St Catherine's is offering each of these children. Regrettably St Catherine's can not offer any parents assurances that they can maintain this service into the future unless the state provide adequate funding.

Without this service there is no doubt the children will be severely effected and most likely regress. Early intervention is critical to the children's developmental outcome and without state funding for an appropriate ABA module these children will not be given the opportunity to potentially integrate into society.

Here are some quotes from the parents who have children attending Barnacoyle which perhaps better explain and highlight the issues:

Jennifer O'Hara - Parent
"This service is the first of it's kind in Wicklow. The difference in my son in the two years he has been in St Catherine's has been amazing. Before attending the school he could barely speak - now he's like any other child and will be entering mainstream education next year. It's heart braking to hear the news that the Department had failed to allocate funding".

Trevor Dagg - Parent
"Barnacoyle has been a fantastic find for us. We've found life very difficult since our daughter's diagnosis but the care, support and professional service provided by St Catherine's has been excellent. We've seen great progress with our daughters verbal and communication skills which is without doubt due to the ABA teaching approach. To lose Barnacoyle after working so hard to get her in would not only be devastating for our daughter but soul destroying for us just when we thought we were getting back on track."

Paula McEvoy - Parent
"My daughter has come on leaps and bounds since attending the school, but if she doesn't finish the ABA, it will be one step forward and three or four steps back."

Why Save Barnacoyle?
By doing so we will be Securing a Brighter Future for Children with Autism in Co Wicklow.

A parent's committee has been set up to represent and lobby on behalf of all parents of children effected by the pending closure of the ABA services in Barnacoyle. If you would like to contact this committee please email savebarnacoyle@gmail.com.