Good news for Down Syndrome Centre North East

The Down Syndrome Centre North East (DSCNE), a charity based in Carrickmacross, has been awarded €18,000 from the RTE Toy Show Appeal grants by Community Foundation Ireland. This grant will fund their comprehensive 2024-2025 Early Intervention programme for children with Down Syndrome aged 2 to 6 years old and help to change children’s lives for good in the North East region which covers Monaghan, Cavan, Louth and Meath.

This programme has been running in small groups since the centre opened in November 2018, but it has had to grow and expand to meet the growing demands and needs of their service users. Denise Marron, Services Coordinator who oversees the project says “each year the project has grown, with the level of numbers enrolled increasing, meaning DSCNE is supporting as many children as possible with Down Syndrome from the North East region, to enable them to access the pivotal Early Intervention services that they require.

“By providing Early Intervention services, we are supporting and empowering individuals with Down syndrome to reach their full potential which is the greatest attainment.”

The project will provide an inclusive, nurturing environment to help the educational development of the children with Down syndrome that attend DSCNE, allowing them to grow in confidence, accessing personalised targeted interventions and making friends with peers from their localities, through fun, play-based regular intervention in the home from home environment that the centre offers.

Receiving funding towards Early Intervention costs will enable DSCNE to ensure the charity can continue to provide other free and heavily subsidised services that children and their families, professionals and local community can access such as Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Music Therapy, School age programmes, counselling, dedicated Family Support Worker as well as monthly social clubs for tweens and teens, baby and toddler musical sensory sessions and holiday camps.

Receiving this great news is also timely, with the start of the six-week programme of summer camps on Monday 1st July, the same day even further good news was received.

DSCNE has also learned that they are a National Finalist of the National Lottery Good Causes Awards 2024 as part of the Health and Wellbeing Category. Each summer the centre runs an incredible programme of fun and social activities for children with Down Syndrome, and their siblings, which is partly funded the HSE National Lottery fund.

Each of the 35 finalists will now receive €1,000 and proceed to the grand final where seven category winners will be announced at an awards ceremony this Autumn. Funding and recognition from national bodies such as Community Foundation Ireland and The National Lottery recognises and highlights the hard work and services that the charity is providing for the local community.

DSCNE provides family-centred support services to meet the individualised needs of all children and families, clinical therapies, family support services, education, information and advice. They place a huge focus on families. The centre is a place for parents, siblings & extended family to meet, get information and advice.

The heart of the centre includes a family room and coffee dock which provides space for individuals to come together to form friendships, share experiences and form a peer support network.

New and expectant families, and volunteers, are always welcome and can find more information by contacting the centre. All details can be found via their website www.dscnortheast.ie or calling 042 942 3181. Currently the centre is supporting over 115 families and is parent-led and run by a voluntary Board of Directors.