Southern Health Trust - Preferential Treatment to Autism NI Charity?

Update 26 March 2012 

The SHSCT referred to in this blog entry has been amended. SHSCT has removed the link to Autism NI and replaced it with
http://www.familysupportni.gov.uk/

The link to the webpage regarding Autism Services in the Southern Trust area is:  http://www.southerntrust.hscni.net/services/1965.htm .






On perusing the SHSCT (Southern Health and Social Care Trust) website,  I came across their 'autism specialist intervention service' page. It all looked interesting. I read the whole page but when I came to the end of the page, I noticed that this Trust provides only one external weblink  regarding autism. That link is to the organisation 'AutismNI'.

I would like to say to the other 9 or more voluntaries and charities in Northern Ireland that work with autism related issues,  please contact the Southern Trust and advise them of their oversight. You are not receiving equitable publicity.

Why are children and families in the Southern Area being formally advised via an official Health Trust website, to go to just ONE charity. Out of all the links in the world, why is AutismNI the only external link on the page?

If you live in the following areas, you are in the Southern Area Trust:
Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon, Dungannon, Newry & Mourne.


AutismNI is a company. Its sells many of its services, it requires that 'members' pay a membership fee, it also has a need to feed itself and this is done via membership fees, fundraising by families, etc. How much money would AutismNI receive from the hundreds of potential families being fed to it via this website? Who made the decision in the Southern Trust to give preferential treatment to this organisation? AutismNI had £400,000 (approx) in its coffers last year. Why were they selected by the Southern Trust as the only voluntary organisation to have its link on their website regarding autism? Was it because they are the 'richest' and by implication, the best?  (AutismNI touts its 20 year history as something to celebrate.
20 years of ineptitude, incalcitrance, mediocrity? )

The real question is what is AutismNI offering anyone in the Southern Area Trust? If you refer to AutismNI's own website they have minimal if any training going on, none of which is in the Southern area. Most of their 'training' you have to pay for and it looks like Trusts in general, are no longer funding the organisation, preferring their own in-house trainers and services.  A cursory look at the AutismNI website indicates not much is happening with this organisation at all except fundraising and hiring more fundraisers! 

It's all smoke and mirrors. If you live in the Southern Trust area and you have a newly diagnosed child where do you turn for help then? What information and support do you need?

SEN and Statementing help
DLA/carer's assessments advice
Access to the latest autism intervention strategies
Advice on schools
Diet/Nutrition/Health advice
Socialisation/Play/Communication opportunities?
Parent training in advocacy, understanding the Health and Education Systems?
Understanding the Implication of the SEN (Special Educational Needs) Review and what to do about it?

If you are a family requiring help with the above list, there are organisations all over Northern Ireland working in different areas providing help in these matters. Some of them are :

PEAT (Parent Educators as Autism Therapists)
ANNI  (Autism Network NI)
NAS  (National Autistic Society)
PRAXIS
Autism Initiatives
MENCAP
Barnardos (Forward Steps Programs)
Contact a Family
SENAC
Children's Law Centre


If you organise a charity, working with persons who have autism in the Southern Trust, you will now know why families, new to the diagnosis of autism, are not contacting you, they are potentially contacting only AutismNI because that is the only organisation that is being given publicity by the Trust's autism service. Shocking and totally unethical.

Nice cosy relationship between the Trust and Autism NI?  Quid pro quo relationship? What benefits are being enjoyed by each party in this twosome?

(by the way, Southern Trust, the webpage in question does not divulge the name or contact details of the Autism Coordinator for the area) These details should be on the website. I also note, that typing in 'autism' into the search facility of the main website page comes up with nothing. So, all in all, at least in my opinion, I find the 'autism specialist invervention service' page wanting and needing a complete overhaul.

For anyone who lives in the Southern Trust area, your Autism Coordinator is:

Lesley Waugh
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Co-Ordinator (Southern Trust)
11-17 Russell Drive, Lurgan
BT66 8HD
028 3831 2801
mailto:lesley.waugh@southerntrust.hscni.net

Contact Lesley if you, as a parent/carer are not happy with the service or provision your child is receiving from the Health Trust (eg. waiting times, SLT/OT/Carer's Assessments, Social Workers, etc)

 Lesley Waugh is the overall co-ordinator for autism services and provision in this area and is there to iron out your problems.

"PASSIVE NI” New autism group in Northern Ireland seeking members

PASSIVE NI (Parents of 'Autistics' Sitting Still Inviting Vulgar Exploitation) convened it's first official meeting yesterday. Two parents, together with five children attended the meeting where tea and home-made biscuits were provided for a nominal charge.


Leavitt Twomey, a parent and social worker, hosted the inaugural meeting of the group in his Lisburn home. As chairman of the new group he hoped the membership would grow to raise enough money to pay for tea and biscuits for the entire year! “We already have 12 members including myself, my extended family and our treasurer. We hope to have many more soon. We count everyone as a member, so even if your child is 3 years old, he or she will be a member, we won't exclude anyone. (as long as they pay their membership fee)

If every parent and child in Northern Ireland who are affected by autism joined our group, including their grandparents and friends we would have tens of thousands of members! To that end, we have already printed 5000 membership forms for PASSIVE NI. It only costs £20.00 to join (£25. 00 for children under the age of 16 and unemployed/senior citizens)."

Leavitt brought the group's attention to the 'no paper' policy of the meetings and in the interest of the environment, no printed paper of any kind, including research papers, or printed information from other agencies or groups will be permitted or circulated. He said the only exception would be PASSIVE NI's membership application forms, sponsor sheets for the group's upcoming bungee jump and of course, kleenex tissues. 

“Mostly what parents want”, Leavitt said, “is for someone to listen to them. I am a social worker, so I know how the system works. Parents don't need to concern themselves with things they know nothing about. Further, our group is not about research or learning. We are here to cry on each others shoulders if we have to. Parents are happy to let others advocate for their children's future as long as they have someone to listen to them in the meantime. This is how it's always worked in Northern Ireland regarding autism and we have no desire to change that.”

PASSIVE NI knows that parents whose children have autism spend much of their time and energy caring for their children. “We know that time is precious to parents and that's why we have an array of fund-raising activities planned for parents that will take their minds off of autism. Parents will do anything to help their children. Fund-raising for PASSIVE NI is a great way for parents and their children to come together socially and to meet new people.

Fund-raising for PASSIVE NI will pay for tea and biscuits, Leavitt said, but he also hopes to employ two part-time professional fund-raisers very soon. Leavitt also hopes to quit his job as a social worker so he can work full time for PASSIVE. “We know that public awareness about autism is growing and we know how generous people in Northern Ireland can be when it comes to giving. I hope we will be able to raise enough money to pay for my full-time salary in the next six months! We are 'ambitious about autism!'

Albion Yurtale is a parent of two children, both of whom have autism. He is an accountant and is also the group's treasurer. He echoes Leavitt's optimism about the future of PASSIVE NI. “We are in the process of establishing new groups all over Northern Ireland. It will be my job to visit each of these groups and set up their accounting systems. Each of the groups will be required to carry out their own fund-raising. A stipend (85%) of all monies each group raises will be required to be given to PASSIVE NI's head office at Leavitt's home. The rest can be used by each group to carry out further fund-raising and to pay for tea, biscuits and tissues.

“Anyone who wishes to get involved with PASSIVE NI or who would like to start their own branch  is welcome to contact me at our premium telephone number :

0905 678910*

(* calls to the above number charged at £2.50 per minute. Mobile rates may vary. Please check with your provider)

PASSIVE NI

A shoulder to cry on

Autism Without Treatment

Below is a Youtube Video entitled Autism Without Treatment.

The content is self evident and disturbing. The language used in the video is not politically correct, (though that's the least of which is shocking about it).
It was created from footage in the 1960's.

Today, in Northern Ireland there are still people who have autism  who have lived most of their adult lives in "mental" hospitals.

Adults who suspect they have autism in Northern Ireland face an exceptionally long and protracted process to receive a diagnosis, much less help or understanding. They are often pigeon-holed into learning disability and/or mental health services, their autism misunderstood and ignored.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjXdMrxD4OA&feature=share

Exploitation of Parents (Autism)

I would like to let you know about a great article tackling the exploitation of parents whose children have autism. The article has an American author but the issues are universal.

The link to the article below is here  and I think it's a must read for every parent, particularly parents who are new to the diagnosis of autism. Very few parents will not have succumbed to the feelings and anxieties illustrated below and I think it's a safe bet that denial of the illustrated emotions is common.  I have noted in red those points that are of particular relevance to recently discussed issues in this blog. Using ABA to examine the behaviours of ABA consultants and parents alike would be an interesting study - any takers?

EXPLOITATION: BEWARE OF THE PARENT'S TRAP

Exploitation is the taking advantage of parents who are vulnerable and willing to do whatever it takes to "cure" their children who have autism, Asperger's syndrome or other special needs.

What makes parents vulnerable to being exploited?

When parents are often in shock and denial about their child's disorder and delays, they can lapse into magical and fantasy thinking and seek a cure or "silver bullet" to make their children "normal." This makes them very vulnerable to offers of help from professionals who claim to have the magical touch, or miracle cure to help make their children better, cured or healed. These parents are unfortunately often willing to pay whatever it takes to get the magical cure to make all things right for their child.

What do vulnerable parents look like?

Vulnerable parents may engage in a number of the following activities:

Spend whatever it takes

There is a willingness to spend whatever it takes to get the "best" treatments, doctors, therapists, programs, schools etc to "fix" or "cure" their child.

Doctor shopping

Looking for just the right doctor, therapist, teacher, program which will make things better for their child.

Blame the doctor

Fighting with the child's treating professionals because the child is not progressing at the rate which the parents had hoped the child would progress given the "hope and promises" provided by the professional or program.

Doctor buying

Offering professionals, with "good reputations," sums of money, goods, services etc which will entice the professional to get involved with their child.

Shoot the doctor

Walking away from the "messenger bearing" professionals who give the "bad news" concerning the developmental disorder because it is "too much" to emotionally absorb and seeking out professionals who will have more "positive" or "optimistic news" to give them about their child.

Guilt-induced hyperactivity

Getting so absorbed in the "treatment" of their child that they have little or no personal time, for fear that their child will not progress or regress if they do not dedicate themselves 150% to the curing and healing of their child.

What does exploitation look like?

Parents who are being exploited often experience one or more of the following behaviors from the professionals who are treating their children.

Dual relationship with parents

Professionals are in many states legally and in all cases ethically not supposed to personally benefit financially or business wise from involvement with the parents of children who are or have been under their professional care. Examples of this could include parents giving money, over and above the professional fees being charged to provide the services to the child, directly to the professional or indirectly by paying a third party associate of the professional. This third party could either be related to or involved in a business dealings with the professional. Parents might lend money to the professional or enter into a business relationship or partnership with a professional or a professional's associate, such as buying a house or car from the professional, opening a new company or business with the professional.

The Golden bullet promises

This mean that the professional presents parents with false, deceptive, or misleading advertising and promises that their specialized treatment is the "Key" to a cure for their children. In many states this is illegal and in all cases it is unethical. A sample state statute for Licensed Psychologists in Florida states: 64B19-17.002(d) False, deceptive, or misleading advertising or obtaining a fee or other thing of value upon the licensee's representation that beneficial results from any treatment will be guaranteed.

Inordinate lifestyle change

This means that parents being encouraged to make radical changes in their current family life so that child can receive the services of the professional. This could involve the family being uprooted and moved to where the "desired" professional or program is located, or taking on second jobs or loans to afford the services of the "desired" professional or program. It could also involve a professional encouraging a family to completely disrupt their normal family cycle or routine to meet the inordinate number of hours of intervention dictated by the "desired" professional or program.

Guilt letting of parents

This means the professional plays on the guilt of the parents to manipulate the parent to go to "extraordinary efforts" to "fix" their child. This is illegal in many countries and is unethical in all cases. It involves inappropriate representation of the "power" of the treatment being offered the child. Hints of this include making the parents think and feel that no matter what they do for their child is "never good enough," "done well enough," or "sophisticated enough" to "fix" the child. A professional may suggest that parents can never spend "too much money," "too much time," or "too many personal or physical resources" on their child in order to "fix" the child, or convince the parents that only this one particular professional or program is "right" of their child and that they would be doing irreparable harm to their child if they changed professional or program for their child.

Blaming the parents

This means the professional blames the parents, if the child is not making substantial developmental progress. The professional does not appropriately inform the parent that each child is different (principle of individual differences) and that there is no predictable pattern to expect in the progress a child will make as a result of being involved in the therapeutic process.

It might involve embarrassing and humiliating parents verbally and non-verbally by blaming them for the fact that their child is not progressing or changing quick enough or substantially enough. The message given in this case is that "of course it is not the fault of treatment offered by the professional" but rather the lack of extensive follow through on the part of the parent that explains the lack of progress. REALITY is - due to individual differences, the child is not be progressing. This might be due to being on a developmental plateau or because the prescribed treatment does not work with this child like it does with others.

Gouging the parents

This means the professional charges exorbitant fees for services and treatments. These fees are typically not customary or ordinary in the professional's respective professional field. It could involve taking advantage of the shortage of trained professionals or shortage of the desired medication or treatment in a community and therefore charging sometimes-double, triple and in few cases eight times as much as what the service or treatment would ordinarily cost.

What do you do, if you think you are being exploited?

If you feel you are being exploited by any of the professionals involved in working with your child, first confront the professional and ask for such exploitation to cease. Second: if the professional continues to be exploitive then contact the professional's respective professional association or state licensing or certifying board and file a complaint.

Principles of Ethics for Medical, Therapeutic and Developmental Specialists Who Work with Children with Special Needs

Professionals serving children with communications and learning disorders will embrace the children’s welfare as their primary professional responsibility. Professionals will respond promptly and expertly, without prejudice or partiality to the needs of these children and their families.

Professionals will respect the rights and strive to protect the best interest of these children whose parents are vulnerable due to their emotional state of shock, loss, and grief and as such often have a diminished decision making capacity and thus are impeded in making appropriate treatment choices.

Professionals will communicate truthfully with parents and secure their informed consent for treatment. They will protect families’ privacy and disclose confidential information only with consent of the parents when required by an overriding duty to protect others or to obey the law.

Professionals will deal fairly and honestly with colleagues and take appropriate action to protect these children and their families from health care and developmental interventionists who are impaired, incompetent, or who engage in fraud or deception.

Professionals will work cooperatively with others who care for these children and their families and also advocate on behalf of these children and their parents with any third party payer (insurance company, HMO, state agency, or school system) to insure that all appropriate and needed therapies, treatments, and programming are provided and reimbursed.

Professionals will engage in continuing study to maintain the knowledge and skills necessary to provide high quality care for children with communication and learning disorders and their families, and act as responsible stewards of the health and developmental care resources entrusted to them.

Professionals will support societal efforts to improve public health and safety, reduce the effects of developmental communication and learning disorders, and secure access to appropriate early intervention and other treatment services for children with communications and learning disorders no matter how severe or minor their disorders may be.

closing thoughts

Dr. Mark Rosenbloom the founder and President of the Unicorn Children's Foundation, at the November 1998 ICDL Conference, gave a heart rendering plea for the end and prevention of the exploitation of parents of children with communication and learning disorders. Dr Rosenbloom shared with the audience the following Physician's Prayer that eloquently emphasizes the type of spirit and attitude, which parents ought to be able to expect of the professionals who are involved in working with their children.

The physician's prayer

Supreme God in heaven — Before I begin my holy work to heal the human beings whom Your hands formed. I pour out my entreaty before Your throne of glory, that You grant me the strength of spirit and great courage to do my work faithfully, and that the ambitions to amass riches or goodness shall not blind my eyes from seeing rightly. Give me the merit to regard every suffering person who comes to ask my advice as a human being, without any distinction between rich and poor, friend and foe, good person and bad. When a person is in distress show me only the human being. If physicians with greater understanding, give me the desire to learn from them, because there is no limit to the learning of medicine. But when fools insult me, I pray: Let my love of the profession strengthen my spirit without any regard for the advanced age of the scorners and their prestige. Let the truth alone be a lamp to my feet for every yielding in my profession can lead to perdition or illness for a human being whom your hands formed. I pray You, compassionate and gracious Lord, strengthen and fortify me in body and soul, and implant an intact spirit within me.

From the writings of Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon

Coping.org is a Public Service of James J. Messina, Ph.D. & Constance M. Messina, Ph.D., Email: jjmess@tampabay.rr.com ©1999-2007 James J. Messina, Ph.D. & Constance Messina, Ph.D. Note: Original materials on this site may be reproduced for your personal, educational, or noncommercial use as long as you credit the authors and website.

The author of the website goes on to explain why the website was developed:

This site was developed by an Australian social worker as he was concerned that many autism and Asperger's syndrome associations were opting to sell their information instead of providing it freely. The philosophy of this website is that most parents are struggling financially to pay for interventions, and information from 'support services' should not be charging for their support, even if their government funding is marginal.

Although there are many websites dealing with Autism Spectrum Disorders, there are few that have developed a comprehensive range of free fact sheets to provide practical information and strategies, both for people with autism or Asperger syndrome, and their families, carers, teachers, employers and the wider community. (http://www.autism-help.org/forums-links-autistic-spectrum.htm)

An Open Letter to AUTISM NI

To: Autism NI

For the attention of Ms Arlene Cassidy, CEO

Dear Ms Cassidy

Re: Autism NI - A Cost Benefit Analysis ?

I refer to the above and note from my own calculations from your website (http://www.autismni.org/our-staff--board.html) that at least 15 paid staff are retained in your organisation.

From my calculation it appears that only four of those members would actually have any responsibility delivering services to parents and/or families. The majority of staff, as indicated by their job title appear to be fundraisers, administrators and event managers/lobbyists.

I would be grateful if you could explain the rationale of retaining such a large fundraising and administrative staff. I note from the website that Family Services provided by the charity together with other programs/services are extremely limited if non-existent.  The ratio of staff to service provision within AutismNI seems inordinately top heavy compared to other organisations who provide similar services in Northern Ireland. Very few charities in Northern Ireland would have AutismNI's administrative budget to pay these individuals' salaries, much less anything else.


Until the charities commission permits Freedom of Information requests to be pursued against charities, we the public will never really know what AutismNI receives in donations/government funding. In the interest of being transparent to your suppporters, however, I am sure you will agree that you should publish the charity's annual report on the website for the last fiscal year. Unlike the year 2009/2010, those accounts should be published in a way that is actually decipherable by the human eye.

My guesstimate is that together with your own salary which I presume is in the £50-60,000 per annum mark together with the combined salaries of your other staff members (including your parent liaison workers who probably make the going rate of minimum wage and or just above), the total amount in wages that the charity pays out per year is approximately £330,000 - £350,000. That estimate includes the potential payment of any wages to the Charity's President, David Heatley and the potential payment of services to one of your government lobbyists Eileen Bell. I don't know if the charity pays these people.

Can you explain what benefit is derived by families living with autism, considering the above estimated cost in salaries? Do you really need 15 plus staff to deliver almost no services? There are 10 charities that work directly with autism in Northern Ireland of which AutismNI is only one. There are a mulitude of other 3rd sector organisations that work directly and indirectly with persons who have autism, many of which do not have anywhere near the funding you have but who deliver a variety of regular and much needed services. What cost benefit is derived from the outlay of salary payment to so many staff?

I note last month (here: http://www.impartialreporter.com/news/roundup/articles/2011/07/28/394125-autism-charity-contract-terminated-by-trust-without-warning/) one of AutismNI's contracts in the Western Health Trust was terminated recently, 'out of the blue' as quoted by your staff member Paula Hanratty. The article states that "Autism NI had, over the years, secured and invested nearly £550,000 additional funding into the Trust area to meet the needs of families affected by ASD."  With this contract and others now terminated, it is difficult to know exactly what Autism NI does. Your website states that the charity has scores of support groups, many if not most of which operate themselves with parental administration. They do not require 15 of your staff to run them as I presume they run themselves and carry out their own fundraising. Some of these 'groups' consist only of a few parents around a kitchen table, and are in fact 'support groups' in name only.

I would be interested to have your clarification of the comment above relating to the £550,000 investment by AutismNI into the Western area Trust. I believe that AutismNI acted as a conduit in this area,  of government monies. The comment implies that AutismNI 'raised' its own monies. I think it would be more fair to say that the charity used publicly funded contract monies and re-invested them in the area. The money came from the government - Autisim NI simply spread it around. Would that be correct? The 'jobs' referred to, that were lost because of those cuts - could you clarify how much those 'jobs' paid? I note from the past that job descriptions emanating from AutismNI offered to pay parent liaison workers the minimum wage.

With the public purse being tightened, government contracts for services must now generally be carried out through a bidding process. AutismNI's contract was terminated because the Western Trust believed it could provide better services than AutismNI could do.  I also believe parents are demanding more from charities who purport to be 'helping' them.

Looking at AutismNI's website, I fear that parents are not getting the kind of help they need and certainly not help that is current or research based. I believe that despite the charities 15 staff members that AutismNI's helpline number is only open a few hours a week. Could you outline the number of hours of real face to face contact both you and other staff members have with children and families who live with autism? How many parents does the charity refer onwards to other organisations? Does the charity keep records of this? If so perhaps we the public could see these statistics. I should add that parents I know who have contacted AutismNI have been told to go to other charities and voluntaries or simply do not have their phone calls answered. Could you advise what those 15 staff members do during their day?

Two parent friends of mine have asked me to publicise their 'experience' with Autism NI. They both have young children with ASD and both of them had to seek help elsewhere than Autism NI because the charity could not help them and they were referred onwards.  I told them I would wait for your response to this letter.

An immediate publication of AutismNI's annual report outlining it's funding and expenditure for the past year is well overdue. Please publish this on your website.

I and I am sure others would like to know and understand what AutismNI, as a charity, spends its money on. I presume that the charity developed and spent money on its new website to indicate to parents and individuals with autism the services and advice it provides to them. After looking at the website it does not appear that much if anything is being provided by AutismNI particularly in light of the number of paid staff it retains. Cancelled contracts in the Western Trust together with other funding being pulled across the North begs the question what AutismNI as a charity actually delivers, particularly in context of it retaining so many staff members, all of whom must be paid.

There are strict guidelines that will soon be set in place by the NI Charities Commission. There is a distinct line between a charity and a political lobby group, an explanation that in part, can be seen here from the Charities Commission website: (http://www.charitycommissionni.org.uk/Charity_requirements_guidance/Your_charitys_activities/Campaigning/Guidance_on_campaigning_and_political_activities.aspx#l2)

"D3. Can a charity have a political purpose?
The short answer
A charity cannot have a political purpose. Nor can a charity undertake political activity that is not relevant to, and does not have a reasonable likelihood of, supporting the charity's charitable purposes.


Whilst a charity cannot have political activity as a purpose, the range of charitable purposes means that, inevitably, there are some purposes (such as the promotion of human rights) which are more likely than others to lead trustees to want to engage in campaigning and political activity. (See section D4 for information on including campaigning and political activity in a governing document.)


In more detail
A charity cannot have political activity as any of its charitable purposes. This is because a charitable purpose should fall within the description of purposes set out in the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008. However, political activity can be carried out by a charity to support the delivery of its charitable purposes. In order to be a charity, an organisation must have purposes which are exclusively charitable and for the public benefit. An organisation with a political purpose, such as promoting a change in the law, legally cannot be a charity. This applies even if the organisation has other purposes which are charitable. This would involve looking at 'political' questions, which neither we nor the courts are in a position to answer. Constitutionally, it is not possible for the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland or the Courts to make decisions about whether a change in the law or Government policy would be for the public benefit. However, organisations which are established to ensure that the law is observed, for example respecting certain fundamental human rights, will not automatically fall within this definition. This is a complex area and in future years we will explore with charities established for the advancement of human rights, the boundaries of this particular charitable purpose in relation to campaigning and political activity."


The fact that AutismNI retains the services of the President Mr David Heatley and Ms Eileen Bell as a political lobbyist is questionable. Mr Heatley and yourself are well known to MLA's and to Stormont as is Ms Bell. Mr Heatley as far as I know does not deliver programs for the benefit of your members or for the wider 'autism' community. As President of AutismNI, is Mr Heatley a paid member of staff. Do you pay Ms Bell a wage for her lobbying services to the charity? How many other members of staff of AutismNI are paid a wage and in what context of providing services to the community? What is your definition of a charity? What provision to families living with autism does the charity currently provide and how much of the charity's budget is fixed for that purpose compared to its administrative costs?

These are questions that should have been asked well before now, and that should be now be answered.

I look forward to your timely response.

AUTISM NORTHERN IRELAND



for further information see : www.fakecharities.org  and in particular this page: http://fakecharities.org/database/shelved-reports/  which lists AutismNI as a charity whose reports are not published or whose accounts are not available and/or do not detail its public funding.