Mayo Autism Action

Mayo Autism Action was formed in 2006 by a group of concerned parents dedicated to improving services for children with autism in the Mayo region. As a result of their tireless efforts, the group opened the Áthas School in Kiltimagh in 2008 to provide educational services using the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis, a model that has been scientifically proven in the treatment and education of children with autism. The school’s aim is to improve the lives of children with autism and their families by developing individualized programs to address the unique academic, social, communication, and behavioural needs of the pupils.

Currently, the school caters to four pupils, with additional families accessing other therapeutic or educational services at the school. The group plans to expand services, but are limited due to resources. Áthas relies exclusively on support from fundraising activities and receives no assistance from the Department of Education and Science. It is one of the very few schools in the country that has been sustained on fundraising alone.