The mother of a 13-year-old boy who has autism says it was easier for her to source long-term care for him in Longford than get the respite her family needed in Donegal.
Maria was one of 150 parents who participated in a survey carried out by the Special Needs Parents Network Donegal, which was looking to identify gaps in the county in terms of the service.
100% of parents surveyed in Donegal believed they did not have enough knowledge about respite provisions or availability.
Maria says her son has a high level of need, that she and her husband struggled to manage in the long term without intervention.
She says her family had reached a breaking point, and there was nowhere to go for support in Donegal:
