Parents of Asperger's boy (10) say 'system won't help'

The parents of a 10-year-old Kells boy with Asperger's Syndrome who have been refused a domicillary care allowance (DCA) for their son at a social welfare appeal hearing are to take a complaint about their treatment to the Ombudsman. Dorothy and Simon Kirwan say they need the €309-a-month allowance to provide special care and facilities for their son, David. However, a social welfare appeals officer disallowed their appeal, saying their child was not regarded as requiring care and attention substantially in excess of that required by a child of the same age, and so does not satisfy the medical condition for receipt of the domicillary care allowance. In their presentation to the appeals officer, the Kirwans, who have two other sons, said that David has a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome and Attention Deficit Disorder with a need for greater supervision outside the home and reduced concentration, necessitating additional support at school. The appeals officer accepted this but added that he was not satisfied that it had been shown the level of support required can be regarded as falling within the guidelines. The guidelines state that a domicillary care allowance is a payment made where a child has a "severe disability requiring continual or continuous care and attention substantially in exces of the care and attention normally required by a child of the same age and the need for care is likely to continue for at least 12 months".