To mark World Environmental Health Day - Monday 26th. September, 2011;
The Western Branch Environmental Health Officers Association presents a cheque to Ms. Maura Madden, Acting / Principle ABALTA Special School for Children with Autism, Galway. 

Photograph includes (left to right); Ms. Eimear Flood, Treasurer E.H.O.A. West, Ms. Maura Madden, Acting / Principal ABALTA Special School Galway and Mr. Gerry Leen, Chairman E.H.O.A. West.

Ábalta School was borne out of the identified need for children with autism to get a specific focused education. In July, 2001, four sets of parents came together to establish the school and had it up and running by September, 2001. It took eight months of hard work, political negotiating, and lobbying, culminating with a high court case to attain funding from the state.

Ábalta opened in September, 2001, with six students. Four of these children had, prior to attending Ábalta, been educated in home-based ABA programmes. The other two children had been receiving other types of autism services.

Ábalta’s logo consists of a number of building blocks which represent the ethos behind the education methodology used in the school, known as Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA). This methodology breaks down educational tasks into tiny building blocks which a child with autism can be taught. The blocks are put together to teach a child a skill. LEARN MORE