Children’s charity hosts special needs seminar

ELEVEN therapists from a renowned North American Speech and Language Centre will present innovative programmes for parents and teachers of children with special needs in Ennis next month.
The Clare Crusaders children’s charity has been selected to host a week of workshops by the California-based Speech and Language Development Centre (SLDC) at the Auburn Lodge Hotel, Ennis from April 6 to 9.
Topics include living with a child with special needs, vocabulary development and communication, teaching social communication, how to manage behaviour at home and in the classroom, sensory processing, reading and homework skills and many more.
Jean Maguire and her family went to the centre for a number of months last year to seek therapy for her son who has a speech impairment and auditory processing issues.
Ms Maguire explained she decided to seek specialist help in America because of the lack of services in Ireland.
“I realise a lot of parents couldn’t  do what we did, so I felt it would be a great opportunity for parents if therapists from the centre could come over and provide their knowledge and expertise.
“A lot of the therapy in Ireland is a one-size-fits-all. However, in California, the therapy is tailor-made to suit the individual needs of the child.
“I approached Ann Norton of the Clare Crusaders and she felt it was a great idea and would be of huge benefit to parents and therapists in the clinic,” she said.
Ann Norton said the conference offers parents and therapists from all over the country an opportunity to get the most up to date information on how to deal with a child with special needs.
Apart from flights and accommodation, Ms Norton revealed that all the therapists had given up their holidays and were not charging professional fees for the workshops.
“Having a child with special needs has a huge impact on the lives of parents and families who need support and advice on how to cope” she said.
“The workshops will provide information that will benefit children of all ages for their current and future needs. A room has also been set up with a computer to allow therapists to show parents what information and equipment can be purchased online for an affordable fee.”
The non-profit school and therapy centre located in Orange County, California, is regarded as one of the leading innovators in the USA in the provision of programmes for children with special needs including autism, Attention Deficit Disorder, speech and language delay, Down Syndrome, learning disabled and cerebral palsy.
The centre is one of the largest educational and therapeutic centres in southern California, with more than 220 staff members providing services for 340 people, aged six months to  21 years.
Clare Crusaders was set up five years ago by the late Howard Flannery, who found that services for Clare children with special needs were not as good as they should be.
In February 2009, a new clinic was opened in Barefield village, which employs four full time therapists who provide physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and montessori for 130 Clare children with Cerebal Palsy, Down Syndrome, Santes Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Asperger Syndrome.
For more information on the workshops or to book a place contact Clare Crusaders at 065 6896015 or email clarecrusadersevents@gmail.com.