Down Syndrome Ireland - Louth / Meath Branch
Down Syndrome Ireland – Louth / Meath Branch
Mental Health Survey DOWN SYNDROME LOUTH /MEATH: Young Adults/ Adults with Down Syndrome age 16 +
Mental health and well-being are big issues at the present time in Ireland. One in four adults will have mental health issues at some time in their life. Young adults with Down Syndrome are no exception. They, their primary carers and their siblings are affected by these problems.
The purpose of this survey is to gather data about the specific mental health issues which may impact upon young adults with Down Syndrome. We wish to represent the experiences of parents, carers and guardians, and of the young adults themselves, both at home or in residential care. Therefore, your assistance in completing this survey is essential.
The data received will be received anonymously from each member.
The data generated from this survey will be published by Down Syndrome Ireland Louth Meath Branch & Down Syndrome Ireland. It will be used in identifying the needs of individuals and the professional services required by the Down Syndrome community. Down Syndrome Ireland can use this Information to lobby Government for these services to be implemented.
Please share this Survey with other families in the Louth Meath area you know who may not be members of the Louth Meath Branch.
The Survey will take approx 8 minutes to complete.
Down Syndrome Ireland have organised Education Conferences for 2019/2020.
“Managing Behaviour & Transitions for the Student with Down Syndrome”
“Supporting the Child with Down Syndrome in Mainstream Primary School”
Please note: early booking is essential as, due to the high costs involved, the conferences will only go ahead if sufficient numbers are booked. Each Primary, Post-Primary and Special School have also been notified.
Full details and a booking facility for each conference will be available on www.downsyndrome.ie from September 1st2019.
See & Learn Training
Conyngham Arms Hotel Slane
26th August or 30th September
6 – 9 pm
Down Syndrome Ireland are rolling out See and Learn training to parents of children aged between 2 and 5 years (early years and preschool).
DSI are investing in rolling out See and Learn with funds raised through our HB Fundays campaign this year. See and Learn is an evidence based, structured teaching programme which teaches speech, language and reading skills in small steps for children with Down syndrome up to 6 years of age.
The programme is designed to help educators and parents provide young children with the additional support and practice they need to learn language.
During 2020, DSI want to put a See and Learn pack in every participating pre-school in the country that has a child with Down syndrome attending and provide See and Learn packs to each of our 25 local branches.
DSI have been in contact with all of our member parents of children aged 2 – 5 asking them if they and / or their child’s early year’s educators would like to participate in our training programme and we’ve had lots of interest!
To find out more about the project you can contact Olive Buckeridge Olive@downsyndrome.ie, or the and See and Learn Project Leader, Gavin Mc Donnell gavin@downsyndrome.ie or check out our website here: https://downsyndrome.ie/what-we-do/see-and-learn/.
To register for the Training please contact olive@downsyndrome.ie or gavin@downsyndrome.ie.
Down Syndrome Ireland’s HB Fundays campaign is a fun initiative that encourages communities, companies and clubs to host an ice cream party to help raise money to support our work across the country.
This year we need to raise over €300,000 to provide additional support for new parents and young children with Down syndrome through a number of much needed national early development services.
To find out more and to register your party, visit https://downsyndrome.ie/event/hb-fundays-2019/ or call 1890 37 37 37.
Down Syndrome Ireland are looking for a young adult with Down Syndrome who is over 18 years and a Meath GAA fan to attend and work on a voluntary basis in Croke Park on Sunday 21st July 2019. This is an opportunity to showcase the ability of people with Down syndrome.
The person with Down Syndrome will need to be able to deal with big crowds and not get overwhelmed or nervous when working in the grounds of Croke Park at the match on Sun 21st July. They will be there all day with the grounds man. They will be standing a lot but will of course get rests and staff members from DSI will be there to look after them.
There will be one person with Down Syndrome from each county represented on the day, Donegal, Kerry, Meath and Mayo.
Each person with Down Syndrome will be able to bring 1 Guardian as Down Syndrome Ireland have been allocated a limited amount of seats.
If you are interested and would like to volunteer please reply back directly to email secretarydslm@gmail.com. The position will be filled on a first come, first served basis.
If you need more information before you commit, please contact Kathleen Fitzsimons in DSI on Kathleen@downsyndrome.ie or phone 01 5632456.
Message from Gary Owens, CEO, Down Syndrome Ireland
DSI calls for IEPs to become a legal right and access to revised July Provision scheme during meeting with Minister for Education Joe McHugh
Dear Member,
We hope this email finds you well.
As you may be aware, we met with the Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh and Department officials to discuss the education needs for children with Down syndrome, including access to July Provision and for Individual Education Plans to be enshrined in law.
The outcome of the recent High Court actions regarding July Provision are confidential but the Department has clarified that the children were not admitted to the programme. We argued for the scheme to be extended to every child with Down syndrome for this year but, according to the Department, this is not possible.
However, the scheme as it stands is currently under review and we are happy to say – following our meetings and ‘Please Don’t Leave Us Behind’ education campaign – Down Syndrome Ireland will be strongly represented in the consultation process, which is due to take place this Autumn. We understand that there will be a needs based approach to the scheme from Summer 2020. We will continue to strongly advocate for all children with Down syndrome who wish to avail of the new scheme to be automatically eligible.
Individual Education Plans
At the meeting, we continued to call for Individual Education Plans to become a legal requirement for all children who need them, including for children with Down syndrome.
Effective planning is key to supporting a child with Down syndrome to succeed at all stages of their educational journey.
A fully inclusive education is a right, not a privilege. Down Syndrome Ireland has long campaigned for the EPSEN Act 2004 to be fully enacted so that the rights of students with additional educational needs are enshrined in law, rather than depending on encouragement from the Department of Education and Skills and the goodwill of schools and teachers.
Students with Down syndrome were recently reminded that they have no legal right to an Individual Education Plan (IEPs). IEPs are documents that identify children’s special educational needs and set goals to meet those needs. At present, IEPs are not legally required in our school system as the provision requiring IEPs in the EPSEN ACT is not implemented.
Our call comes after Teachers’ Unions the ASTI and TUI advised their members in Autumn 2018 to stop implementing IEPs for students with additional needs, such as those with Down syndrome, due to a lack of funding and adequate training provided to their members.
The answer to a Parliamentary Question about the implementation and resourcing of the EPSEN Act 2004 makes it clear that the Government accepts that the funds needed for its full implementation have not, and will not, be provided. The current Department of Education and Skills’ position seems to be that schools are encouraged to implement large parts of the EPSEN Act without having the necessary resources.
We called for a plan to be initiated immediately to ensure that teachers are resourced and trained to meet the needs of all their students.
Since then, our ‘Please Don’t Leave Us Behind’ campaign has seen us host a briefing for politicians in Leinster House, we have appeared in front of the Joint Oireachtas Education Committee, we have met directly with both Unions and met with the Department of Education and Skills. Still, nothing has changed. We remain deeply disappointed and angered that the education needs of children with intellectual disabilities remains a bargaining tool between Teachers’ Unions and the Department of Education and Skills. Children with Down syndrome are being activity discriminated against. It’s shameful that 15 years after the EPSEN Act was first became law, it has still not been fully enacted.
We continue to call for a plan to be initiated immediately to ensure that teachers are resourced and trained to meet the needs of all their students.
We will keep you posted on our progress.
Thanks and have a lovely weekend.
With very best wishes,
Gary Owens
CEO
Down Syndrome Ireland
SPORT IRELAND CAMPUS
INCLUSIVE CAMPS
The Sport Ireland National Sports Campus is hosting its fourth year of inclusive camps designed for children with additional needs. The camps will be held during 2 separate weeks throughout the Summer. The price for each successful camp applicant is €60.
(For ages 6 – 15 years old)
TUESDAY JULY 23rd – FRIDAY JULY 26TH.
10AM-2PM
TUESDAY AUG 13TH – FRIDAY AUG 16TH.
SPORTS INCLUDED:
ATHLETICS, GYMNASTICS, SOCCER, ROWING, GOAL BALL, VOLLEYBALL, TRAMPOLINE, TENNIS, HOCKEY AND MUCH MORE!!!
ALL PARTICIPANTS WILL RECEIVE A CAMP T-SHIRT, BAG AND BOTTLE AND AN ACTION PACKED WEEK OF SPORT.
Book Now https://www.nationalsportscampus.ie/inclusive-camps
This year’s Conference and AGM is being hosted by our Louth Meath branch and will take place in the beautiful historic town of Trim County Meath on Saturday the 29th in the wonderful setting of the Trim Castle Hotel.
We look forward to seeing a lot of new and familiar faces at this year’s event.
As well as our AGM, we also have lots of workshops taking place throughout the conference on topics that will be of interest to all of our members and their families. We ask that you please book your place in advance so we can accommodate as many members as possible throughout the weekend. Please note that all places and programmes must be booked by June 20th – thank you and see you there!