The head of an autism treatment centre in Wales has criticised the State's plans to provide education and care for 14-year-old Lewis O'Carolan as "inadequate" and "poorly planned".
The boy's parents this week failed in a High Court battle to force the State to provide their son with an education at the Bangor Centre for Developmental Disabilities in Wales.
The High Court ruled the State's proposal for a care and education unit in north Dublin for Lewis was "objectively adequate". His parents, however, say the State's plans are based on a psychiatric model that would "destroy" their son's potential.
Dr Richard Cubie, the head of operations at the Bangor Centre for Developmental Disability, yesterday told The Irish Times that the State's plans for Lewis lacked any long-term planning and questioned whether staff would be adequately trained or qualified to deal with Lewis's needs.
"There doesn't seem to be any long-term planning as to where all of this is going to lead," Dr Cubie said. "It seems to be a reactive strategy, with little to do with his long-term needs.
"They [State authorities] were ill-prepared. They have provided a description of what they intend, rather than providing a service that is up and running and appropriate for Lewis. You can't do this overnight. It's taken us five years at the Bangor centre to get to the level we're at now."
Dr Cubie added: "I don't know to what extent the staff are properly prepared, whether programmes are properly prepared. From what I have read on paper so far, I suspect not."
The Health Service Executive (Northern Area) has declined to comment on its proposed service which, it said in court, will provide a range of education and therapy for Lewis.
Dr Cubie said that given the appropriate intervention and therapies, Lewis could make significant improvements.
"Lewis could be capable of living in a semi- or fully supported environment, within the general community, not in an isolated setting," Dr Cubie said. "I would anticipate that he could experience high levels of independence . . . it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that he could find a vocational outlet for him in a sheltered workshop, for instance.
"Everyone is making choices for Lewis. We'd like to see him involved in making choices himself."
Professionals from the Bangor centre visited Lewis in January this year and offered a 13-week assessment placement.
Department of Education officials expressed concern about the Bangor centre and said it would not provide benefits justifying the "drastic upheaval" for the boy and his family.
They said the Dublin-based proposal at Blake's Cross, near Lusk, went "beyond what might reasonably be regarded as being required in accordance with their [the department's] constitutional or statutory obligations".
Colm O'Carolan, Lewis's father, said the facility would not rescue his son from the most restricting aspects of autism.
"Experts from England, Scotland and Wales have been over to the house and say they are shocked at the state of Lewis and the lack of intervention. We just want what's normal by international standards, nothing else. This is about allowing him to improve and fulfil his potential."
