Useful Links

This website below explains AIM, the Access & Inclusion model for children starting ECCE.

Incapacitated Child Tax Credit
This is an extra tax credit on your tax, and you need to apply to your local Tax Office, to have it allowed.

Home Carer’s Tax Credit
This is a tax credit for a stay at home parent/guardian.

Disability Allowance
Disability Allowance is a weekly allowance paid to people with a disability. You can get Disability Allowance from 16 years of age.

Domiciliary Allowance
Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly payment to the carer of a child with a disability so severe that the child requires care and attention and/or supervision substantially in excess of another child of the same age. This care and attention must be provided to allow the child to deal with the activities of daily living. The child must be likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 months.  This is dealt with by the Department of Social Protection.

Carer’s Allowance
Carer’s Allowance is a payment to people who are looking after a person who needs support because of age, physical or learning disability or illness.

Carer’s Benefit
Carer’s Benefit is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce to care for a person(s) in need of full-time care and attention.

Carer’s Leave
The Carer’s Leave Act 2001 allows employees in Ireland to leave their employment temporarily to provide full-time care for someone in need of full-time care and attention. Since 24 March 2006 the minimum period of leave is 13 weeks and the maximum period is 104 weeks (was 65 weeks).

Carer’s leave from employment is unpaid but the Carer’s Leave Act ensures that those who propose to avail of carer’s leave will have their jobs kept open for them for the duration of the leave. You may be eligible for Carer’s Benefit if you have enough PRSI contributions. If you do not qualify for Carer’s Benefit you may qualify for Carer’s Allowance which is a means-tested payment. You can take carer’s leave even if you do not qualify for either of these payments.

Respite Care Grant
The Respite Care Grant is an annual payment made to carers by the Department of Social Protection. Carers can use the grant in whatever way they wish. You can use the grant to pay for respite care if you wish, but you do not have to do so.

Medical Card

GP Card

Citizens Information

Down Syndrome Ireland

Down’s Syndrome Association (UK)

Useful link for Typing for People with an intellectual disability
This options requires a family to get a family licence to use it.

Touch-type Read and Spell is a typing program for students and adults with learning differences that allows every individual an opportunity to learn keyboarding at their own pace. It takes a whole-word, multi-sensory and phonics-based approach to typing, to get students using real English words from day one.

Over time, regular use strengthens reading and spelling skills, boosting self-esteem and confidence with the advantage of gaining a skill for life.

For further details about this programme please contact:

Carol Pitcher
087 2868910 or via email – castleknockttrs@gmail.com

Touch Typing

For younger children