Hi Pinoy adventure and Derry2020,
Thank you both for your informative replies. We will definitely be looking into the website / company that you mentioned above.
My daughter is on the autistic spectrum and is in receipt of Disability Allowance.
My wife and I have always tried to help her be as independent as possible, but we are also very aware of her struggles with other people, anxiety and everyday life. We were told at one stage when she was a "toddler" and was being assessed by a medical specialist for delayed speech that
"Mr and Mrs "S*****", She may never speak, but she may have a hobby !"
After that "bombshell" we were determined to try and help her have as normal and fulfilling a life as possible. She had delayed speech but she has since managed (due to mainly her mother's determination ) to attend mainstream school, achieved a very respectable leaving cert and can now talk / argue the "hind legs off of a donkey (parent) !"
The arguments are not always logical in our minds, but they are in hers !
I only wish I knew where that that specialist ended up. I would love to introduce them to each other.
However when we think about her future it is sobering and worrying !
You always hope that one day she will be able to cope. But we know that life is not always like that.
As a good friend of mine ( who has a severely Autistic son ) told me
"He is just about able to count his change, but he is very happy to also give it away to make people happy".
The sad thing is many people are happy to take it from him !
There is very little information out there on this subject , so hopefully this thread will help others too.
A " Big thanks" also to Brendan Burgess for his advice and his
"Key Post
A financial advisor who specialises in advising families with children with special needs"
and to Gravitygirl for her advice.
Kind regards,
Silver4444