Service Dogs Europe are opening up our first speech and language school in Dundalk Co Louth in November 2014 and are now taking names of parents and children who would like to attend. Our speech and language lessons are being highly subsidised by Henry Fitzsimons and Service Dogs Europe for those who require our help and will be run on fundraising efforts. The idea behind offering a service where parents and children could avail of subsidised low cost/free speech and language lessons was first thought of by Henry Fitzsimons of Service Dogs Europe, after reading a story of a father who felt ashamed he could not afford to pay for the speech and language lessons his son needed when he was younger and that it still upset the father to this day wondering just how far on his son would have been had he been able to afford the lessons. (Read Story Here) As a father myself of 2 boys on the spectrum I could fully understand where he was coming from.
Speech and Language helps with social skills. ... Social skills can be targeted with the use of video modeling, role playing, specific therapy apps, social stories and other various strategies and tools. The use of aided communication with these strategies to work on improving these social skills is important..
Service Dogs Europe and Inspire Speech and Language would like to welcome Claire Walshe to our team.
Claire will be our first speech and language therapist operating from our premises in Dundalk Co Louth.
Our facility will be opening on Monday 17th November and those interested in our classes are asked to email sdeinspire@eircom.net
Claire Walshe
Claire Walshe graduated with an Honours degree in Speech and Language Therapy from the University of East Anglia in June 2014. She has experience working with both children and adults with learning difficulties, children with hearing impairments and typically developing children with speech and language delay/disorder.
Previous to this Claire completed a degree in Business Studies from the University of Limerick in 2011. She has always been passionate about working with children with communication difficulties. This passion could not be suppressed during her business studies degree so her journey of becoming a speech and language therapist commenced.
She has volunteered with various organisations both nationally and internationally such as the Special Olympic Games and Asha Kiran Children’s Home, Hyderabad, India.
Claire is dedicated to developing her clinical skills. Since completing her speech and language therapy degree, she attended a training course for stuttering therapy for children aged 0-6 years of age and is now Lidcombe Programme trained.
She is enthusiastic about offering this new speech and language therapy service. She favours a holistic approach to therapy, therefore actively involving parents in the therapeutic process to improve their child’s communication skills.
A new speech and language school for children and adults with autism is set to open in Dundalk over the coming weeks.
The ‘Inspire’ school is expected to launch at 59 Park Street and will offer one to one speech and language sessions.
‘The main aim of opening the school is to make these sessions affordable for parents of children with autism,’ said Henry Fitzsimons, who says he was motivated to work on developing a venue after reading the heartbreaking story of one parent who couldn’t afford sessions for their autistic child.
‘I have two sons, James (19) and Jack (12) both of whom were diagnosed with autism when they were small,’ explained Henry
‘I know what the challenges are, and how incredibly difficult it can be at times.’
Henry, who is a qualified dog trainer, channelled his focus into developing a business ‘Service Dogs Europe’ that could provide assistance dogs for children with autism.
Earlier this year he even trained a labrador to work with an autistic child who is living in Singapore.
Now he is keen to see children and adults have access to speech and therapy sessions that can make a huge difference in coping with autism.
‘I really was moved when I read the story of a father from down the country who wanted to get speech and language support for his autistic son, but he simple couldn’t it.’
He told how one to one sessions can cost between eighty and one hundred euro.
‘I think most people just couldn’t afford that,’ said Henry.
Inspired by the story he set about investigating how he might be able to arrange more affordable supports.
‘I was lucky in that I have found an excellent speech therapist, who formerly worked with the NHS. We are hoping to be able to provide one on one classes for around thirty euro.’
Having found the Park Street premises which he has just acquired the keys too, Henry added: ‘We hope that parents might come together to fundraise for the school’s future, but at the moment Henry Fitzsimons will cover the operational costs.’
The ‘Inspire’ school is expected to be open by November 19th.
For further information contact Henry on 93 74532.
Irish Independent
https://www.independent.ie/regionals/argus/news/new-inspire-school-for-autism-opening-30736437.html
https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/article-inspires-affordable-speech-therapy-project-298129.html
All we ask you to pay is what you can afford upto €30 per session. If you are unable to pay anything towards your sessions then do not worry as we will not turn you away.
Now Closed
Park Street, Dundalk, Co Louth Email: sdeinspire@eircom.net
