Toys, Technology and Training 2018 - Kildare Library and Arts Services Free Talks and Workshops - Kildare.ie

Kildare Library and Arts Services

Toys, Technology
and Training 2018
   Free Talks and Workshops

   KildareCountyLibraryservice        kildarelibrary
             www.kildare.ie/library

This series of TTT talks and workshops has been organised by Kildare
Library Service as part of our Toys, Technology and Training Project and is funded by
Kildare County Council.

What is the TTT Project?
Kildare Library Services would like to inform you about our specialised Toys,Technology
and Training Project. The collection is designed to offer support to children and adults
with learning difficulties, disabilities or more significant needs. Based in Athy, Leixlip
and Naas Libraries this specialised collection of toys and software can be accessed
free of charge in branches throughout the county and can be borrowed or utilised by
joining up at any Kildare library. Items in the catalogue can be requested or renewed
online and collected by the borrower at their nearest branch library.

Membership is free to any individual who lives, works or goes to school in County Kildare.
Contact the libraries listed below for further terms and conditions of use.

This Toy and Technology collection have been chosen by the staff of Kildare Library
Service in partnership with therapists working in the community.

The Project also includes the Training element of “TTT” which is our annual series of free
lectures and workshops. These events offer further guidance, support and networking
opportunities for parents, teachers and healthcare professionals.

For up to date details of future talks and events relating to the TTT Project please email
us and ask to join our mailing list at leixliplib@kildarecoco.ie

Attendance at all of the events is free of charge and open to everyone but advance
booking is required. Please contact the library where the talk is happening to book your
place.

Athy Library:                                Naas Library:
Tel: 059 8631144                             Tel: 045 879111
Email: athylib@kildarecoco.ie                Email: naaslib@kildarecoco.ie

Kildare Town Library:                        Newbridge Library:
Tel: 045 520235                              Tel: 045 448353
Email: kildarelib@kildarecoco.ie             Email: newbridgelib@kildarecoco.ie

Leixlip Library:
Tel: 01 6060050
Email: leixliplib@kildarecoco.ie

NEW
              TOys,
          TECHNOLOGy
          AND TrAiNiNG
           CATALOGuE
            COMiNG
             iN 2018!

    Continuous professional Development
  Certificates of Attendance are available for
       all TTT talks/workshops in 2018.

These certs will only be given in person on the
         evening/day of the event.

so please remember to ask for your cert before
you leave as we will not be able to provide them
                at a later date.

ASD-Friendly Sensory Story Time
             at Leixlip Library
            Join Sharon Curran (MSEN, BA Mont Ed, Dip Hort)
      at Leixlip Library for a fun, interactive, sensory story time,
    tailored specially to meet the needs of children with ASD, and
          incorporating toys from the library’s TTT collection.

   There will also be a quiet, welcoming, ASD-friendly opportunity
      to use the library, while closed to the general public, for
                             borrowing etc.

      Throughout 2018 – Please contact Leixlip Library for more
                 information and to book a place.

Guest Speakers 2018
Adam Harris, Founder of AsIAm.ie
Empowering People with Autism

Adam Harris is the 21 year old social entrepreneur and CEO-founder of
AsIAm.ie, Ireland’s online support and advocacy service for those affected
by Autism Spectrum Conditions. Adam founded AsIAm in response to his
own experiences of living with Aspergers Syndrome and the need for greater
public awareness of Autism. A member of the NCSE Consultative Forum,
Adam is a frequent commentator on Autism on national television, radio
and print media. Adam has also spoken on the need to change societal
minds and hearts towards Autism, internationally at conferences in the
United States, Morocco and the United Kingdom. During the session, Adam
will give an insight into his experiences of Aspergers Syndrome, the work
of AsIAm.ie and the role a community can play in empowering people with
Autism. Parents, professionals and young people are invited to meet Adam
and hear his own positive and inspiring story about living with Aspergers.

 Leixlip Library: Thursday 8th February 7pm
 Naas Library: Thursday 8th March 7pm

North Kildare Citizens Information Service
Information Session on Carers and Disability Allowances

Have you an injury, disease or physical/ mental disability that has continued,
or may be expected to continue, for at least one year?
Are you restricted in looking for fulltime employment because of your
condition? Have you a child with a disability who requires on-going care
and attention?

If your answer is YES, why not come along to our information sessions to
find out more. You may find that if you qualify for Disability Allowance,
Carers Allowance or Domiciliary Care Allowance [for a child] you may also
be entitled to extra social welfare benefits with your payment and other
supplementary welfare payments. We will be on hand to have a chat and
answer any questions you may have.

 Leixlip Library: Thursday 12th April 7pm
 Naas Library: Thursday 19th April 7pm

Marie Dowdall - Kildare County Childcare Committee
Supports for Children with Disabilities in their Free
Preschool Year

In this session, Marie will give an overview of the new Access and Inclusion
Model (AIM) that was announced in Budget 2016 to support children with
disabilities who are participating in their free preschool year. The aim of
the model is to ensure that children with disabilities have access to a
preschool service and are actively involved in the preschool curriculum
and activities. Marie will talk parents through the different types of
supports available and how parent can avail of these supports. There will
also be an opportunity for questions and answers.

 Kildare Town Library: Thursday 26th April 7pm
 Leixlip Library: Thursday 10th May 7pm
 Athy Library: Tuesday 2nd October 7pm
 Naas Library: Tuesday 20th November 7pm

Health and Well Being

Yoga Workshop for Children with Additional
Needs and their Parents with Nicola Foxe

Yoga as a therapeutic process can help children who have a special needs
diagnosis gain additional coping skills for day to day life management.
Yoga can help the child become strong in mind and in body, helping to
build resilience and hone coping skills and mechanisms. Yoga may also
help nurture children who have diagnosed with a particular condition,
find a place in themselves where they can feel safe and at ease.This
interactive workshop will show parents and children some techniques
designed to self calm and regulate which with practice can help children
learn to reduce the added anxiety both parents and children may be
feeling.

 Athy Library: Saturday 14th April 2:30pm
 Kildare Town Library: Saturday 3rd November 2:30pm
 Naas Library: Saturday 17th November 11am

Diet and Autism Talk with Rina Whyte

A presentation of researched based nutritional information for parents,
guardians and carers of children with these needs. This seminar looks at
food as more than ‘fuel’ and the benefits of nutrition on attention span,
concentration, emotional response and mood.

This talk will look at foods and nutrients that are particularly beneficial
and those that may not be.

 Leixlip Library: Thursday 24th May 7pm
 Athy Library: Tuesday 25th September 7pm
 Naas Library: Thursday 11th October 7pm

Occupational Therapy
with Sarah Butler
Adjusting tasks to support and develop
a child’s ability

This practical workshop, facilitated by an Occupational Therapist
supports parents, teachers and coaches in adjusting tasks to match a
child’s current level of ability. Focusing on common areas of difficulty,
such as handwriting, buttons, zips, cutlery, scissors, colouring, seating
and PE/Sporting activities, the workshop will share practical strategies to
use at home, school and in the community.

Workshop Goals:
•     Identify the factors that influence a child’s performance, or
      difficulty doing a task.
•     Discover practical strategies to adjust activities, supports and
      equipment to meet a child’s need.
•     Gain answers to your questions about adjusting relevant
      activities and supports in everyday activities.

 Kildare Town Library: Thursday 22nd February 7pm
 Athy Library: Tuesday 6th November 7pm

Behavioural Therapy
with Audrey Culley

Reinforcement

This talk will give a clear overview of reinforcement and how it can affect
behaviour. Reinforcement can be manipulated in many different ways
to bring about behaviour change that will either increase appropriate
behaviour or decrease inappropriate behaviour. This talk is aimed at
both parents and professionals as it is relevant to all human interactions.
Ideally, those attending this talk will also be present for the talk on
Challenging Behaviour as both subject areas are closely linked.

 Kildare Town Library: Thursday 15th March 7pm
 Newbridge Library: Tuesday 23rd October 7pm

Visual Strategies and Self-Management:

This talk provides information on the use of visual strategies as a tool
used to aid understanding of daily/weekly activities, the sequence of
when these activities will occur, and strategies that will promote self-
management of the individual’s behaviour.

Visual aids have been proven to be very effective with individual’s who
find language difficult to understand. The use of visual aids can be very
beneficial both in classroom settings and in the home environment,
often leading to an increase in positive behaviour in both settings.

 Athy Library: Tuesday 17th April 7pm
 Newbridge Library: Tuesday 11th September 7pm

Challenging Behaviour

This talk will include all aspects related to challenging behaviour, why it
occurs and how to deal with it. Challenging behaviour does not occur
for no reason, it has a communicative function. Using specific strategies
and tools it is possible to find out why problematic behaviour occurs.

During this talk Audrey will cover;
•      Why challenging behaviour occurs
•      Functional assessment/analysis
•      Reinforcement of challenging of behaviour
•      Preventative Strategies
•      Strategies on how to respond to challenging behaviour when
		     it occurs including teaching appropriate skills that serve the
		     same function as the challenging behaviour.

Ideally, those attending this talk should also attend the talk on
Reinforcement as both subject areas are closely linked

 Athy Library: Tuesday 9th October 7pm
 Leixlip Library: Thursday 8th November 7pm

Autism Spectrum Disorder

As the prevalence of ASD has risen over time we will explore what it
is, what its characteristics are and how it presents itself differently in
individuals. Some parents notice differences from a very young age but
for some it’s a bit later. If you’re unsure whether your own child or a child
you work with has Autism, or if you just want to increase your knowledge
on the condition, this talk will be beneficial. Included also, will be a guide
as to what steps can be taken to access a formal assessment.

 Kildare Town Library: Thursday 27th September 7pm
 Naas Library: Tuesday 16th October 7pm

Counselling and Mental Health
with Michael Ryan
Mental Health Management for Teens and Adults
with “Hidden” Disabilities
This talk will look at an overview of the conditions and syndromes – such
as Asperger’s, Autism, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia and ADHD . It will outline what
are the signs and symptoms of mental ill-health and when to become
concerned. Michael will outline strategies for the stressed person, as well
as self-care for the caregiver and suggestions to prevent
future stress for everyone.
 Leixlip Library: Thursday 22nd March 7pm

Life Hacks for people with ASD/Asperger’s - Teens and Adults

This talk will look at the challenges that face people on the Autism
spectrum and Michael will suggest some tips, hints and hacks for people
to get through school and everyday life.
 Athy Library: Tuesday 24th April 7pm

School Refusers - Children and Teenagers with ASD/Asperger’s
School refusal is a frequent challenge for students with ASD and this
talk will cover the strategies around supporting students who refuse to
attend school and explore ways to deal with the situation.

 Naas Library: Tuesday 15th May 7pm

Self-Acceptance for Children and Teenagers with ASD/
Asperger’s/ADHD/Dyslexia (and other hidden disabilities)

“Labels are for jars not people” – but the school system requires “labels”
in order to provide services. This talk will explore the ways in which
Children/Teenagers can be informed about their diagnoses. We will look
at ways to boost their self-esteem and confidence and allow them to
come to a place of acceptance of their diagnoses - while ensuring that
they do not define themselves by their “labels”.

 Newbridge Library: Tuesday 22nd May 7pm

Speech and Language Therapy
Workshops with CaitrÍona Campbell

“Let me do it by myself!” – Using visuals and
objects to support independence in daily routines.

This practical workshop supports parents to use task analysis strategies
to support their children and adolescents with disabilities to be more
independent in daily routines. Specific materials discussed and
demonstrated will include: visual schedules, job lists, communication
cards etc.

 Newbridge Library: Tuesday 6th February 7pm
 Leixlip Library: Thursday 26th April 7pm

“Say that again?!” – Using clarification strategies

This interactive workshop is aimed at parents of teenagers with
disabilities who need support to find different ways to communicate
when their message is not understood. Catríona will discuss ways to
support teenagers to be flexible in their communication, strategies to
fall back on when the spoken message is not working, and managing
frustration that can arise when communication breaks down.

 Kildare Town Library: Thursday 24th May 7pm

Occupational Therapy -
Sunflower Clinic
Motor Development and your child
This talk deals with the concept of normal motor development and
some of the issues that arise when a child experiences a delay in their
development. These issues can appear in such ways as a typically
“clumsy” child, problems with handwriting, difficulties playing sports and
a number of other physically-related difficulties.

These issues can also be described or diagnosed as Developmental
Coordination Disorder (DCD) and/or Dyspraxia. The talk will explain the
differences and how the equipment available to rent at your local library
can help address some of the issues that can affect your child.

The talk will cover the following main themes:
•       Early motor milestones
•       Development of motor coordination
•       DCD/Dyspraxia Diagnosis
•       Demonstration of appropriate equipment

This talk will be given by an experienced Occupational Therapist from
The Sunflower Clinic who will be available to answer your questions on
the night.

 Kildare Town Library: Thursday 1st March 7pm
 Athy Library: Tuesday 1st May 7pm

Sensory Processing and your child
This talk deals with the concept of Sensory Processing and how important
it is in a child’s normal development. Sensory Processing Disorder is a
recognised condition which can have a very profound effect on a child’s
ability to deal and manage a wide variety of sensory input which can
result in quite significant changes in a child’s ability to learn and also their
overall behaviour in school and in the home.

Some of the typically observed behaviours of children who have sensory
processing issues are:
•     Constant fidgeting in class
•     Lethargic and dreamy
•     Slow to start work and constantly missing cues
•     Poor coordination and balance
•     Difficulty organising self
•     Has difficulty paying attention

The talk will address the following main themes:
i)      What are our senses?
ii)     What is Sensory Processing Disorder?
iii)    Case studies of examples
iv)     Demonstration of appropriate equipment

This talk will be given by an experienced Occupational Therapist from
The Sunflower Clinic who will be available to answer your questions on
the night.

 Naas Library: Tuesday 25th September 7pm
 Newbridge Library: Tuesday 27th November 7pm

Dyslexia Talks - Amy Smyth,
Information Officer from Dyslexia
Association of Ireland
App Technology and Dyslexia

This talk will cover how apps for iPad and tablets can be used as a cheap
and user-friendly way to help people with dyslexia. We will discuss apps
that help children, young people and adults. These apps range from fun
games, speech to text, text to speech and study tools.

 Kildare Town Library: Thursday 12th April 7pm
 Newbridge Library: Tuesday 9th October 7pm

What is Dyslexia?
In this talk, we will discover what Dyslexia is, the causes and what we can
do to make life easier for someone with Dyslexia. We will also cover how to
get an assessment for a child or adult with Dyslexia, common indicators
of Dyslexia, Dyslexia in school and technology that may help dyslexic
children in their day to day and school life. There will also be lots of time
put aside for participants to ask our Information Officer any questions
that they may have about Dyslexia.

 Athy Library: Tuesday 15th May 7pm

Assistive Technology and Dyslexia
This talk will give an introduction to assistive technology for people with
dyslexia. In this talk we will cover the types of assistive technology that
can be put on laptops and tablets as well as hardware that can be used to
help people with dyslexia with issues around literacy, reading and writing
speed and grammar issues.

 Leixlip Library: Thursday 27th September 7pm

Down Syndrome Talks with
Nicola Hart (Down Syndrome Ireland)
Supporting students who have Down syndrome
in School.
The talk will cover:
•       The typical learning profile of a student who has Down syndrome
•       Promoting successful inclusion
•       Promoting independence.
•       Resources

Learning outcomes:
After this talk I would hope that participants have a good idea of the strengths
and weaknesses that children who have Down syndrome bring to the classroom.
We will discuss the different roles of parents and teachers in supporting children
to learn along with some strategies for helping inclusion. We will share ideas
and resources and discuss some of the specific programmes that have been
designed for children who have Down syndrome.

 Naas Library: Thursday 22nd February 7pm

Advocating for students who have Down syndrome.

The talk will cover:
•       Working with the school to support your child.
•       Communication between home and school.
•       Troubleshooting. (Discussion)
•       Promoting outcome-focused meetings. (Role play)
•       Helping your child to develop self-advocacy skills.

Learning outcomes:
After this talk, I would hope that parents can implement positive
communication strategies with their child’s school. We will discuss some
of the issues that can arise, and role play strategies for assertively tackling
these in meetings. We will also discuss the importance of self advocacy
for people with a disability, and how to foster self advocacy skills.

 Newbridge Library: Tuesday 10th April 7pm

Speech and Language Therapy
Lectures with Catherine Sheahan

Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia

This talk will go through speech sound difficulties of children who present
with verbal dyspraxia and discuss how to go about getting a diagnosis
with a speech and language therapist.

Tips and strategies to help your child learn speech sounds will be
discussed on the night.

Parents and teachers welcome.

 Kildare Town Library: Thursday 8th March 7pm

Early Communication

This talk will go through importance of play and social interaction skills
in early childhood development to develop a child’s communication
skills.

Early communication milestones and stages will be introduced with
lots of practical ideas to develop early communication, first words and
phrases.

 Leixlip Library: Thursday 13th September 7pm

Occupational Therapy Lectures/
Workshops with Dr Dorothy Armstrong
Transitioning to Third Level

The final years of secondary school can be very stressful and confusing
– and that’s just for the parents! This talk is aimed at reducing some of
this confusion. Dr Armstrong will discuss the Disability Access Route to
Education (DARE). She will also discuss what to expect in third level and
the services that are available for young people with disability at this
stage.

This talk would be useful to young adults and their parents who are about
to embark on this part of their journey.

 Leixlip Library: Thursday 1st March 7pm

Workshop on Social Stories
Social stories are a really useful tool for help children on the autistic
spectrum understand the social world. “A social story is a short story that
describes a situation in terms of relevant social cues and accurate and
specific information regarding what occurs in a given situation and why”
(Gray, 1995). They are written for a specific child to help them with a specific
situation e.g. learning how to wait, take turns or cope with losing a game.

This workshop will be delivered by Dr Dorothy Armstrong and is aimed at
parents, teachers and others who work with children with ASD. Dorothy will
explain what social stories are, how they work and what the guidelines are for
writing them and participants will have the opportunity to practice writing
social stories.

 Leixlip Library: Saturday 10th March 10am

Smart but Scattered

If you are a parent of a child or teenager who has significant problems
with executive function i.e. organising themselves, being self-directed,
keeping on task, managing time or making plans, then this is talk for you.
These types of problems can have a significant impact on in all areas of
life - especially progress at school. Dr Armstrong will provide tips and
ideas for improving abilities in these areas and a guideline as to what to
expect at different developmental stages. Young people with conditions
such as Asperger’s Syndrome (High functioning Autism), ADHD and
Developmental Coordination Disorder (Dyspraxia) are particularly prone
to having difficulties in this area and this talk is aimed at parents and
those who work with children in this area or with any child who is ‘smart
but scattered’.

 Naas Library: Thursday 15th March 7pm

Helping primary school children with issues such as
Dyspraxia, Asperger’s, ADHD / ADD prepare to transition
to secondary school.

Transitioning to secondary school is a major milestone in a child’s life
and it’s very important to prepare our neuro-diverse children in order
to make this transition as smooth as possible. Dr Dorothy Armstrong will
host an evening that is aimed at parents, teachers and those who work
with this population.

It will cover issues such as:
•         The issues that are challenging when transitioning to secondary
          school
•         The preparation needed to prepare the child for the transition
•         Strategies that will help with organisation and secondary school
          readiness
•         Strategies to promote inclusion once the student are there

 Newbridge Library: Tuesday 1st May 7pm
 Athy Library: Tuesday 8th May 7pm

Developmental Coordination Disorder
(Dyspraxia) in primary school
Five percent of children in primary school have Developmental
Coordination Disorder (Dyspraxia). They can face many challenges
such as problems with handwriting, challenges joining in the games and
sports, and difficulties organising themselves. These problems can
impact their self-esteem unless strategies are put in place. Dr Dorothy
Armstrong has a great deal of experience in this area and will help
participants understand this condition and discuss methods for helping
these children. She will also give recommendations as to when a student
needs to move from handwriting to typing.

This talk is aimed at parents, teachers and those who work with children
in primary school with this condition.

 Kildare Town Library: Thursday 17th May 7pm

Developmental Coordination Disorder
(Dyspraxia) in secondary school

Secondary school presents many new challenges for young people with
Developmental Coordination Disorder (Dyspraxia). There is a greater
need to be self-directed and organised which can highlight some of the
difficulties encountered by this population. There are also new physical
challenges in subjects such as woodwork or Home Economics and the
PE syllabus becomes more complex. The young person can become
more aware of being ‘different’ from their peers so it is important to
be mindful of their self-esteem. Dr Armstrong will discuss strategies to
help students with this condition. She will also explain the reasonable
accommodations to the state exams (RACE).

 Naas Library: Tuesday 22nd May 7pm

Study Skills for older children and teenagers
with Dyslexia
Dr Dorothy Armstrong will host an evening that is aimed at parents,
students with Dyslexia, teachers and those who work with this population.
This talk will help students learn how to prepare for exams. She will discuss
the impact of dyslexia on learning and studying. Dr Armstrong will help
the student best prepare for study, use a variety of learning styles and
read strategically. She will also discuss methods of note taking, memory
strategies and some of the assistive technology that can be helpful.

 Athy Library: Tuesday 18th September 7pm

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Young people with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) face many
challenges and can have a great need to control their world. They can
be misunderstood and misrepresented and the standard behavioural
approaches often don’t work with them. The ‘Collaborative Problem
Solving’ approach provides a different lens for understanding these
children. This approach is aimed at facilitating the child to develop the
skills they are missing in order to facilitate them to behave in ways that
will work better for them and others. Dr Dorothy Armstrong will provide
an introduction to ‘Collaborative Problem Solving’ and will signpost the
resources available for those who are interested in applying what is a
very compassionate approach to ODD.

 Newbridge Library: Tuesday 25th September 7pm

Managing anxiety and depression by
managing thinking
Neuro-diverse teenagers can face particular challenges in managing
anxiety and depression. They can be prone to perfectionistic thinking
patterns and they can fear making mistakes. These thinking patterns
can put them under a great deal of pressure and can contribute to them
becoming overwhelmed, stressed or depressed. Dr Armstrong will
provide an introductory talk to the link between thoughts and feelings,
the types of thoughts that can be problematic and the methods for
rationalising this type of thinking. She will also highlight resources
available to develop further insight into this area.

 Leixlip Library: Thursday 11th October 7pm

Selective Mutism
Selective Mutism is a complex childhood anxiety disorder characterized
by a child’s inability to speak and communicate effectively in select
social settings, such as school. These children are able to speak and
communicate in settings where they are comfortable, secure, and relaxed.
Children with Selective Mutism need a great deal of understanding as
this is a very misunderstood condition. Dr Armstrong will describe the
diagnostic criteria and the common characteristics of these children.
The ‘Sliding in’ programme has been found to be very successful in
enable children to communicate in school. Dr Armstrong will discuss
this programme and other methods to help a child with Selective Mutism
manage their anxiety.

 Newbridge Library: Tuesday 13th November 7pm

Workshops for teenagers at Newbridge Library

Dr Dorothy Armstrong will be facilitating a series of workshops for
teenagers in secondary school with conditions such as high functioning
autism (Asperger’s Syndrome), Developmental Coordination Disorder
(Dyspraxia) or ADHD. Places are limited to eight teenagers and it would
be beneficial if their parents attended with them to allow for good follow
through of the techniques taught.

   If possible the participants should attend all three workshops:

   • Workshop One:  Stress Management,
   	Saturday 22nd September, 10am – 12.30pm

   • Workshop Two:  Assertiveness Training,
   	Saturday 29th September 10am – 12.30pm

   • Workshop Three:  Communication Skills,
   	Saturday 6th October 10am – 12.30pm

The workshops will be very interactive and participants (and their parents)
should bring a drink and snack for the break. Places are limited so early
booking is essential. Dr Armstrong will email a short questionnaire to
each parent in order to have some information about their child prior to
the workshop. This will help in the planning of workshops.

Bios:                                           Citizens Information
                                                Service
Dr Dorothy Armstrong                            The Citizens Information Service provide a
Dr Dorothy Armstrong is an Occupational         face-to-face service to the public through
Therapist who works at Achieve                  a network on Citizens Information Centres.
Occupational Therapy in Celbridge. She
works with children, teenagers and young        We provide free, impartial and confidential
adults with conditions such as High             information, advice and advocacy service
Functioning Autism, Asperger’s, Dyspraxia       to our clients.
(Developmental Coordination Disorder),
Dysgraphia, and ADHD. She received her          Your local Citizens Information Service will:
PhD in 2017, and also holds an Honour’s
Degree and Master’s in Occupational             •  Provide information on many topics such
Therapy. She is author of the book ‘The Next    as Housing, Social Welfare, Employment
Adventure – Transitioning to Secondary          Law, Consumer Rights, Immigration, Family
School when you have Developmental              Law, Education etc.
Coordination Disorder (Dyspraxia). Dr           •   Refer people to other services for
Armstrong is very committed to the Toys,        additional or particular advice
Training and Technology (TTT) programme         •   Provide information to clients to assist
and has been involved with it for many years.   them in understanding their options so
She acts as advisor to the programme            they can make an informed decision
and helps with the selection of toys and
equipment and with the production of the        For more information, please visit our
TTT catalogue.                                  website at http://www.citizensinformation.ie

                                                Audrey Cully
Sarah Butler                                    Audrey Cully is a Behavioural Consultant
Sarah Butler is an Occupational Therapist       who has over 15 years experience working
with 12 years’ experience of working with       in the field of special needs with a strong
people who have difficulty doing activities.    background in Autism. She has worked
She is committed to giving parents and          with children from 2 years old up to 18
teachers the information they need to           years in special schools, Autism Units
understand why a child finds activities         and mainstream settings and works with
hard, and to providing strategies that make     children with Autism and related disorders
those activities easier for the child. Having   in their homes. Audrey worked as a
previously worked for HSE and Enable            Behaviour Specialist in a special school
Ireland she now operates a small private        and works as a Behavioural Consultant. She
practice based in Kildangan, Co Kildare.        has designed and overseen many IEP’s and
                                                Behaviour Support Plans and has extensive
Catríona Campbell                               experience in dealing with crisis episodes
Catríona Campbell is a CORÚ Registered          of behaviour. Audrey has a Master’s Degree
Speech and Language Therapist who works         in Applied Behaviour Analysis and is trained
with children and adults with a wide range      as an instructor of Professional Crisis
of learning disabilities to maximise their      Management.
communication potential.

Sharon Curran                                    Adam Harris
Sharon Curran (MSEN, BA Mont Ed, Dip             Adam Harris is the 21 year old social
Hort) is a Special Educational Needs             entrepreneur and CEO-founder of AsIAm.
teacher specialising in autism spectrum          ie, Ireland’s online support and advocacy
disorder, she has a background in                service for those affected by Autism
Montessori education and a wealth of             SpectrumConditions. Adam founded
experience in teaching children with a wide      AsIAm in response to his own experiences
range of learning disabilities.                  of living withAspergers Syndrome and
                                                 the need for greater public awareness of
Marie Dowdall                                    Autism.
Marie Dowdall is the Kildare County
Childcare Committee Training and                 Nicola Hart
Information Officer. She has a special role      Nicola Hart is an experienced Speech
in supporting the roll out of the Access         and Language Therapist who has worked
and Inclusion Model in Kildare. KCCC are         for over 20 years with people who have
responsible for the promotion of cross-          Down syndrome and their families. She has
agency cooperation and coordination in           been working for Down Syndrome Ireland
the delivery of childcare services at a local    since 2010, first as Speech and Language
level in County Kildare for all children from    Therapy Manager in the Kildare branch,
birth to 14 years.                               then as National Speech and Language
                                                 Advisor.
Nicola Foxe (Yo-Yo Yoga)                         Nicola believes strongly that research
Nicola Foxe has been teaching yoga to
                                                 should inform practice, and represents
children and adults since 2011. Nicola
                                                 Down Syndrome Ireland annually at the
traveled to India to study and train as a
                                                 European Down Syndrome Research
yoga teacher and found herself connected
                                                 Forum. She is active in disseminating
with children with special needs, as the
                                                 information from research to families and
Ashram was closely linked to a school is to a
                                                 professionals working with people who have
school for children with special educational
                                                 Down syndrome via training, conferences
needs. Nicola specialised in children’s yoga
                                                 and the Down Syndrome Ireland magazine
and traveled to Nepal to spend time in
                                                 (which she co-edits).
a children’s yoga Ashram in Kathmandu.
Nicola’s yogic name is Ma Neha (Mother           Nicola is secretary of the Down Syndrome
Earth) and her passion for helping children,     Ireland Special Interest Group for Speech
teens and young adults fulfill their absolute    and Language Therapists (DSI SIG). She
potential lead her to qualify in mindfulness     is a member of the Lámh Research and
for children and yoga for children with          Development Board, and was involved in
special needs. Nicola (a mother of two)          developing the concept and content of the
further trained with YTI, Rainbow Kids and       award winning ‘Lámh Time’ app. Nicola is
Special Yoga London but is also a qualified      also a member of the Irish Association of
Special Needs Assistant while also holds         Speech and Language Therapists (IASLT),
qualifications in child psychology, childcare,   and recently co-authored an IASLT position
paediatric first aid and has worked with         paper on Speech and Language Therapy
children, teens and young adults of all ages     provision for Children with Intellectual
and abilities for many years.                    Disabilities.

Michael Ryan                                         The Sunflower Clinic
Michael Ryan is a Counsellor and                     The Sunflower Clinic is an independent
psychotherapist running Peace of Mind                children’s Occupational Therapy service
Counselling Services, who works with many            with 6 clinic locations in Munster and
students and young people with Aspergers             Leinster.   We specialise in Sensory
Syndrome and Autism. He works in private             Processing, Motor Coordination and
practice with adults and with teenagers and          Autistic Spectrum Disorders for children
children across a range of schools. Michael          and adolescents.
has a lot of experience of dealing with people
who have neurological conditions and/or              We are the largest independent
physical disabilities. He regularly speaks at        Occupational Therapy service in Ireland
national conferences on Asperger’s/ASD               with a team of highly experienced
topics.                                              therapists dedicated to providing a
                                                     caring and supportive service and all of
                                                     our therapy clinics are fully equipped for
Catherine Sheahan                                    Sensory Integration therapy.
Catherine Sheahan is a Speech and Language
Therapist who founded and runs a private
practice Caint Speech Therapy in Naas. Caint         Rina Whyte
is a multidisciplinary service of SLT, OT and        Rina Whyte is a qualified Nutritional
psychology services. Catherine commenced             Therapist, she has been involved in the
her professional career working with the HSE         area of Nutrition for over 20 years. As well
before subsequently joining the Speech and           as seeing individual clients, Rina gives
Language Department at the University of             seminars and workshops on Nutrition and
Sydney, Australia. She has lectured at the           Healthy Eating.
University of Limerick as a key member of the
Speech and Language Therapy team in the              Specialised areas of interest are in
areas of child speech disorders (including           preventative medicine, managing chronic
dyspraxia), phonetics and stuttering since           illness and promoting optimal health by
2004.                                                improving the physiological function of
                                                     a number of bodily systems, including
Amy Smyth                                            the digestive, immune, endocrine and
The Dyslexia Association of Ireland (DAI) works      cardiovascular systems.
with and for people affected by dyslexia, by
providing information, offering appropriate
support services, engaging in advocacy and
raising awareness of dyslexia. Amy is the
Information and Advocacy Coordinator with
the DAI. Amy has a background in law and has
previously worked for organisations in the area
of widening access to education for young
people. Amy is herself Dyslexic and relishes
the opportunity to raise awareness of Dyslexia.
Amy has a specific interest in the issue of a lack
of self-confidence in Dyslexic young people
and adults.

Table of Events
ASD-Friendly Sensory Story Time with Sharon Curran        Throughout 2018            Leixlip Library
Adam Harris : Empowering People with Autism               Thur 8th Feb      7pm      Leixlip Library
                                                          Thur 8th Mar      7pm      Naas Library
North Kildare Citizens Information Service:               Thur 12th Apr     7pm      Leixlip Library
Information Session on Carers and Disability Allowances   Thur 19th Apr     7pm      Naas Library
Marie Dowdall – KCCC: Supports for Children with          Thur 26th Apr     7pm      Kildare Library
Disabilities in their Free Preschool Year                 Thur 10th May     7pm      Leixlip Library
                                                          Tue 2nd Oct       7pm      Athy Library
                                                          Tue 20th Nov      7pm      Naas Library
Health & Well Being: Nicola Foxe – Yoga Workshop for      Sat 14th Apr      2.30pm   Athy Library
children with additional needs and their parents          Sat 3rd Nov       2.30pm   Kildare Library
                                                          Sat 17th Nov      11am     Naas Library

Health & Well Being: Rina Whyte – Diet and Autism         Thur 24th May     7pm      Leixlip Library
                                                          Tue 25th Sept     7pm      Athy Library
                                                          Thur 11th Oct     7pm      Naas Library
Occupational Therapy - Sarah Butler: Adjusting Tasks      Thur 22nd Feb     7pm      Kildare Library
to support and develop a child’s ability                  Tue 6th Nov       7pm      Athy Library
Behavioural Therapy with Audrey Cully:                    Thur 15th Mar     7pm      Kildare Library
Reinforcement                                             Tue 23rd Oct      7pm      Newbridge Library
Behavioural Therapy with Audrey Cully: Visual             Tue 17th Apr      7pm      Athy Library
Strategies and Self-Management                            Tue 11th Sept     7pm      Newbridge Library
Behavioural Therapy with Audrey Cully: Challenging        Tue 9th Oct       7pm      Athy Library
Behaviour                                                 Thur 8th Nov      7pm      Leixlip Library
Behavioural Therapy with Audrey Cully: Autism             Thur 27th Sept    7pm      Kildare Library
Spectrum Disorder                                         Tue 16th Oct      7pm      Naas Library
Counselling and Mental Health with Michael Ryan:          Thur 22nd Mar     7pm      Leixlip Library
Mental Health Management “Hidden Disabilities”
Counselling and Mental Health with Michael Ryan:          Tue 24th Apr      7pm      Athy Library
Life Hacks for people with ASD/Asperger’s
Counselling and Mental Health with Michael Ryan:          Tue 15th May      7pm      Naas Library
School Refusers
Counselling and Mental Health with Michael                Tue 22nd May      7pm      Newbridge Library
Ryan: Self Acceptance for children/teens with ASD/
Asperger’s/ADHD/Dyslexia
Speech and Language Therapy – Catriona Campbell:          Tue 6th Feb       7pm      Newbridge Library
Using visuals and objects to support independence in      Thur 26th Apr     7pm      Leixlip Library
daily routines
Speech and Language Therapy – Catriona Campbell:          Thur 24th May     7pm      Kildare Library
Using clarification strategies
Occupational Therapy – Sunflower Clinic: Motor            Thur 1st Mar      7pm      Kildare Library
Development and your child                                Tue 1st May       7pm      Athy Library
Occupational Therapy – Sunflower Clinic: Sensory          Tue 25th Sept     7pm      Naas Library
Processing and your child                                 Tue 27th Nov      7pm      Newbridge Library

Table of Events
Dyslexia Talks – Amy Smyth, Dyslexia Association:     Thur 12th Apr    7pm    Kildare Library
App Technology and Dyslexia                           Tue 9th Oct      7pm    Newbridge Library
Dyslexia Talks – Amy Smyth, Dyslexia Association:     Tue 15th May     7pm    Athy Library
What is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia Talks – Amy Smyth, Dyslexia Association:     Thur 27th Sept   7pm    Leixlip Library
Assistive Technology and Dyslexia
Down Syndrome Ireland – Nicola Hart: Supporting       Thur 22nd Feb    7pm    Naas Library
students who have down syndrome in school                              7pm
Down Syndrome Ireland – Nicola Hart: Advocating for   Tue 10th Apr     7pm    Newbridge Library
students who have Down Syndrome
Speech and Language Therapy with Catherine            Thur 8th Mar     7pm    Kildare Library
Sheahan: Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia
Speech and Language Therapy with Catherine            Thur 13th Sept   7pm    Leixlip Library
Sheahan: Early Communication
Occupational Therapy – Dr Dorothy Armstrong:          Thur 1st Mar     7pm    Leixlip Library
Transitioning to Third Level
Occupational Therapy – Dr Dorothy Armstrong:          Sat 10th Mar     10am   Leixlip Library
Social Stories Workshop
Occupational Therapy – Dr Dorothy Armstrong:          Thur 15th Mar    7pm    Naas Library
Smart but Scattered
Occupational Therapy – Dr Dorothy Armstrong:          Tue 1st May      7pm    Newbridge Library
Transition to Secondary School                        Tue 8th May      7pm    Athy Library

Occupational Therapy – Dr Dorothy Armstrong:          Thur 17th May    7pm    Kildare Library
Developmental Coordination Disorder (Dyspraxia) in
Primary School
Occupational Therapy – Dr Dorothy Armstrong:          Tue 22nd May     7pm    Naas Library
Developmental Coordination Disorder (Dyspraxia) in
Secondary School
Occupational Therapy – Dr Dorothy Armstrong:          Tue 18th Sept    7pm    Athy Library
Study Skills for Teens and Children with Dyslexia
Occupational Therapy – Dr Dorothy Armstrong:          Tue 25th Sept    7pm    Newbridge Library
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Occupational Therapy – Dr Dorothy Armstrong:          Thur 11th Oct    7pm    Leixlip Library
Managing anxiety and depression by managaing
thinking
Occupational Therapy – Dr Dorothy Armstrong:          Tue 13th Nov     7pm    Newbridge Library
Selective Mutism
Occupational Therapy – Dr Dorothy Armstrong:          Sat 22nd Sept    10am   Newbridge Library
Workshop for Teens – W/S 1: Stress Management
Occupational Therapy – Dr Dorothy Armstrong:          Sat 29th Sept    10am   Newbridge Library
Workshop for Teens - W/S 2: Assertiveness Training
Occupational Therapy - Dr Dorothy Armstrong:          Sat 6th Oct      10am   Newbridge Library
Workshop for Teens - W/S 3: Communication Skills

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