DSILMB

See & Learn Training

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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.

CONSENT FORM PDF

INFORMATION SHEET PDF

DSI calls for IEPs to become a legal right and access to revised July Provision scheme

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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

DSI AGM 2019

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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!

https://downsyndrome.ie/event/agm-2019/

Invitation to Join the Regional Advisory Council

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Many thanks to everyone who attended the Information Evening on the Regional Advisory Council last week. A special thanks to our guests, Eileen Dunne(former Chairperson of the National Advisory Council) and Helena Connors(Adult Advocacy Officer, DSI) who shared their experience and advice with us.

We are now delighted to formally extend our:

Invitation to join the new Regional Advisory Council in the Louth/Meath Branch of Down Syndrome Ireland
What is a Regional Advisory Council?
• The Regional Advisory Council (RAC) gives adults with Down syndrome a chance to talk about the local issues that are important to them
• The Louth/Meath Branch of Down Syndrome Ireland listens to what the council has to say
• The RAC will decide what projects to work on
• In 2020, the RAC will vote for 1-3 members to join the National Advisory Council
The RAC supports council members to become more confident and to learn new skills like:

• Respectful listening
• Giving opinions
• Travel to Council meetings independently
• Know your Rights
• How to speak at meetings
• How to be in charge of a meeting
• How to be an officer of the Regional Advisory Council
• Talking to others about what you do in the RAC
How does the Regional Advisory Council work?

• The RAC meets monthly. There are no meetings in July and August
• RAC members sit on the council for three years; the first year is primarily training in advocacy and communication skills
• Two facilitators will support the work of the RAC
If you are an adult(18+) with Down syndrome and interested in joining the Regional Advisory Council, please submit your name and contact details to:
Mike Egan, Regional Resource Officer, Louth Meath Branch DSI.
Phone: 085.8618866 Email: mike@downsyndrome.ie

Invitation to Join Louth Meath Branch Committee

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We are looking for new people or former committee members to join our committee for the upcoming year. We are looking for people with new ideas and enthusiasm to bring to our committee.

It would involve attending about 9 meetings per year for about 2 – 3 hours for each meeting. It would not involve taking on a role unless you wish to.

We are also looking for a new Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer if your skills would be suitable to these roles.

If you would like more information or want to talk about joining the committee, please come back to me Brendan on 083 8972044 or secretarydslm@gmail.com

Our next Louth Meath Branch Committee meeting will be held this Monday, 13th May 2019 in The Conyngham Arms Hotel Slane at 7.30pm.

Looking forward to seeing new faces on the night.

Golf Classic Greenore Golf Club Friday 31st May 2019

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One of our members Darren Kirwan is organising a Golf Classic in aid of our Branch in Greenore Golf Club Friday 31st May 2019.

Are you a Golfer and want a great day out come and join us.

Friday 31st May 2019 Greenore Golf Club

€200 per team of 4 includes meal

Presentation afterwards in the Club House

Music by Leah & Cian

Raffle on night for various prizes

To Book a Tee Time or sponsor the event Contact
Darren 086 8282941 or
Ciaran 087 6772827

Annual General Meeting Monday April 29th Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dundalk

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The 2019 Annual General Meeting of the Louth Meath Branch of Down Syndrome Ireland will be held Next Monday, April 29th, 2019 at 8.00pm in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dundalk, Co Louth.

Louth/Meath Branch Sponsorship Cards and Branch T Shirts will be available at the AGM for those of you who are kindly doing the Women’s Mini Marathon to raise funds for our Branch.

Gary Owens DSI’s Chief Executive Officer will address the meeting where he will outline what is going on in DSI and you will get a chance to meet Gary and ask any questions that you have.

Mike Egan our Regional Resource Officer will also address our meeting to update our members about his role.

All are Welcome.

ADULT EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION EVENING

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Reminder: Wednesday 3rd April @ 7pm.

Hi All

Aoife Gaffney, National Employment & Projects Officer and Rosalind Walsh, Adult Education Officer from Head Office are visiting the Branch.

They will visit on Wednesday 3rd April @ 7pm in the Conyngham Arms Hotel Slane to give a talk to interested members.  They will present on the entire Ability Programme (Latch On, MOTE, Work Skills) and talk in more detail then about Work Skills and employment links.

ADULT EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT

 

Down Syndrome Ireland’s Ability programme was launched in September 2018 and is aimed at providing further education and preparation for employment for our over 18s. The programme has been developed in conjunction with Accenture, a global management consultancy firm and with the support of funding from Pobal.

In its complete format, the programme runs for 4 days per week from September to June for 2 years with modules in Practical Literacy and Technology; Decision Making, Rights and Responsibilities; Work Skills and preparation for employment.

Louth/Meath branch will run and subsidise the programme from September 2019 if there is sufficient interest. Location will depend on the level of interest. It is an option to run just parts of the programme and this may suit members who have already completed Latch on and Mote programmes who would prefer to do the only Work Skills module. Again, it will depend on demand.

Planning for a class in September 2019 must begin NOW. If you are interested in any way or would like more details, please contact;

Geraldine Regan, 087 8157542, foleyregan246@gmail.com or

Audrey O’Dowd, 086 0537177, audrey.odowd@gmail.com

Expression of interest is not a commitment to enrolling in the programme.

Further details in the attached flyer and also in the current Down Syndrome Ireland magazine.

Adult Education & Employment Scheme 2018 3 (1)

“…more than medical” A booklet for parents with a pre or postnatal diagnosis of Down syndrome for their baby.

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To celebrate this year’s World Down Syndrome Day 2019 – Down Syndrome Ireland has launched some resources which challenge outdated ideas about Down syndrome and instead provide an insight into the realities of family life with a baby, child, teenager or adult with Down syndrome in Ireland today. 
 
“…more than medical” was launched on World Down Syndrome Day (Thursday, March 21st 2019).
 
The booklet includes a combination of experiences from our family and adult members from around the country and will be distributed free-of-charge to our nationwide network of 25 branches, to maternity and children’s hospitals across the country and HSE Early Intervention Teams.
 
The booklet is a resource for parents with a pre or postnatal diagnosis of Down syndrome for their baby. It will also be an essential tool for professionals and healthcare workers to ensure complete and balanced information is provided to all parents.
 
Download more than medical here:
 
To complement the launch of “..more than medical” DSI have launched a video for new parents – ‘Having a child with Down syndrome’.
 

If The Shoe was on the other foot

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If The Shoe was on the other foot

Marking World Down Syndrome Day, this is the official release of Prosper Meath’s new powerful and thought provoking video highlighting the day to day challenges faced by people living with a disability.
#WDSD19

 

 

Prosper Meath, formerly named MIDWAY, became part of the Prosper Group in 2016.

Prosper Meath provides Day Services to adults with an intellectual disability across County Meath. It is a ‘not-for-profit’ community organisation with charitable status, committed to improving the lives of people with disabilities and their place in society.

In keeping with national disability policy, Prosper Meath operates from local centres in the towns of Navan, Trim, Kells and Ashbourne. Its primary funding comes from the Health Service Executive (HSE), through an annual Service Arrangement (Contract of Service).

Prosper Group today supports almost 500 individuals and their carers from 22 locations across its catchment areas of County Meath and County Fingal.

You can see that all that Prosper Meath do here