Down Syndrome Education International Press Releases

Down Syndrome Global Education Fund launched

PORTSMOUTH, UK - On World Down Syndrome Day 2009, Down Syndrome Education International has launched a new Global Education Fund to improve care and education for young people with Down syndrome wherever they live. The Fund will directly support advice, information and services for young people with Down syndrome and their families in low and middle income countries.

Almost all of the 200,000 children who will be born with Down syndrome in high income countries during the next decade will survive to adulthood. They will receive knowledgeable medical care, additional educational support and live in societies that have become, and continue to become, more welcoming and inclusive. These children can now look forward to richer and more fulfilling lives lasting in excess of 60 years.

However, without action now, half of the 2 million babies who will be born in low and middle income countries during the next decade will not live for even a few years. For the luckier ones who survive, abuse, neglect and exclusion are too common. Many health and educations systems are ill-prepared to provide knowledgeable care and support for young people with Down syndrome.

Commenting on the new initiative, Frank Buckley, Chief Executive of Down Syndrome Education International said, "This is unjust. Rich countries know how to help people with Down syndrome live increasingly fulfilled lives. Knowledgeable, modern medical care has increased life expectancy from 12 years to over 60 years in little over 5 decades. Modern educational techniques are helping young people with Down syndrome gain better speech, language, reading and maths skills. However, these improvements are not yet reaching the vast majority of children who have Down syndrome who are born in developing countries. The time has come to ensure all people with Down syndrome benefit from effective care and support."

Down Syndrome Education International has already begun to work with families, support groups and NGOs around the world to identify practical ways in which we can help to improve the care given to young people who have Down syndrome and to deliver outreach services. The new fund will support work to reach out to families, support groups, associations, NGOs and governmental organisations on the ground, providing hands-on advice, training and translated resources in low and middle income countries.

Contacts

Frank Buckley, Chief Executive, Down Syndrome Education International. Email press@downsed.org

Down Syndrome Education International

Down Syndrome Education International (DownsEd) works to improve education for young people with Down syndrome through scientific research and evidence-based information and support services. In the early 1980s, DownsEd pioneered early reading techniques to improve language learning for children who have Down syndrome. For 30 years, the charity has advanced scientific research investigating language, cognition, memory and speech development, literacy, numeracy, and education, leading to practical results that improve the lives of people living with Down syndrome today. The charity works with families, teachers and therapists, researchers and support organisations in over 180 countries, helping over 75,000 people with Down syndrome to achieve more every year.

Web site: http://www.downsed.org/

New opportunities to help children with Down syndrome achieve more in school

PORTSMOUTH, UK – Down Syndrome Education International has been awarded a grant by the Big Lottery Fund to test a structured language and reading teaching programme in UK primary schools. This targeted teaching approach offers new opportunities for young people with Down syndrome to further improve their language and reading skills.

The Big Lottery Fund has awarded a £481,000 grant to investigate the effectiveness of a focused and practical classroom intervention. The study, lasting 4 years, will be conducted by Down Syndrome Education International working in partnership with the Centre for Reading and Language, at the Department of Psychology at the University of York.

Reacting to news of the grant, Professor Sue Buckley OBE, Director of Science and Research at Down Syndrome Education International, said "This is a vitally important piece of research that promises to help many thousands of young people with Down syndrome. Language and literacy skills are so important for living and learning. Practical scientific research – like this project – helps us to discover the children’s potential and to identify how to offer them the most effective learning opportunities. We will trial approaches to reading and language instruction that are tailored to meet the specific needs of children who have Down syndrome. By carefully evaluating these approaches, we hope to clearly show that they are both highly effective and easy to implement."

The research study will utilise a randomised controlled trial to rigorously assess outcomes from a structured language and reading teaching programme designed to meet the specific needs of pupils who have Down syndrome. The programme will be delivered by the pupils’ Teaching Assistants. Teaching Assistants provide important support for children with Down syndrome in UK schools and are in an excellent position to deliver additional learning opportunities. By designing a targeted teaching approach that can be implemented by existing staff using regular classroom resources, it is hoped that not only will robust evidence be provided by the study, but also that adoption by schools will be simple, quick and widespread.

Professor Charles Hulme at the Centre for Reading and Language at the University of York said "Existing evidence suggests that an integrated approach to teaching reading and language skills might be particularly effective for children with Down syndrome. We will trial a teaching approach that combines a structured reading instruction programme with an oral language programme. We expect this approach to be highly beneficial to these children’s reading skills, and to also directly benefit their oral language skills. We have already seen considerable success from these approaches with other children experiencing difficulties progressing with reading."

Approximately 15,000 pupils with Down syndrome are expected to benefit from this research over the next 10 years in the UK alone and a further 150,000 worldwide.

Further information

About Down syndrome – a guide for media professionals:
http://www.downsed.org/media/guide/

Contacts

Sue Buckley, Director of Science and Research, Down Syndrome Education International. Email: press@downsed.org

Down Syndrome Education International

Down Syndrome Education International (DownsEd) works to improve education for young people with Down syndrome through scientific research and evidence-based information and support services. In the early 1980s, DownsEd pioneered early reading techniques to improve language learning for children who have Down syndrome. For 30 years, the charity has advanced scientific research investigating language, cognition, memory and speech development, literacy, numeracy, and education, leading to practical results that improve the lives of people living with Down syndrome today. The charity works with families, teachers and therapists, researchers and support organisations in over 170 countries, helping over 100,000 people with Down syndrome to achieve more every year.

Web site: http://www.downsed.org/

The Centre for Reading and Language

The Centre for Reading and Language is a research group housed within the Henry Wellcome building for Psychology at the University of York. The Psychology Department is one of only four UK Psychology departments to have achieved the top 5-star rating in the 2001 research assessment exercise. It has achieved the distinction of having its research graded as being of the highest possible quality in every one of the government rating exercises to date. The Centre for Reading and Language aims to conduct high quality research into the nature and causes of reading and language difficulties. It also aims to translate research findings into practical solutions for educational problems.

Web site: http://www.york.ac.uk/res/crl/

Children who have Down syndrome invited to design Chancellor’s Christmas cards

PORTSMOUTH, UK – Children across the UK who have Down syndrome have been offered the opportunity to illustrate their abilities by creating original designs for the Christmas cards to be sent by the Chancellor of Exchequer and teams at Her Majesty’s Treasury. The preferred design will be chosen from a shortlist by the Chancellor and his wife. The panel of judges selecting the shortlist will include famous Maisy mouse author and illustrator, Lucy Cousins.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP, has invited young people living with Down syndrome across the UK to create designs for the Christmas cards that he and Treasury teams will send to thousands of recipients around the world this year. The cards will highlight the global work of Down Syndrome Educational International to help young people who have Down syndrome achieve more.

“We are thrilled that the Chancellor has chosen to showcase the abilities of children who have Down syndrome to an influential, global audience,” says Frank Buckley, the charity’s Chief Executive. “More people are living with Down syndrome today than ever before and, in some countries, many are achieving more than ever before, thanks to advances in healthcare and education. Unfortunately, in many parts of the world, most people with Down syndrome still struggle to obtain essential medical treatments and equal access to education. We hope that the Chancellor’s Christmas cards will draw attention to the potential of all people with Down syndrome and the deeply valuable and fulfilling lives they can live when given the right opportunities.”

Children who have Down syndrome and reside in the UK are invited to send their designs to Down Syndrome Education International by 5.00 p.m. on Friday 10 October 2008. The shortlist will be announced on 15 October 2008.

Further information

• Design guidelines and submissions:
  http://www.downsed.org/christmas-designs/
• About Down syndrome – a guide for media professionals: http://www.downsed.org/media/guide/

Contacts

Frank Buckley, Chief Executive, Down Syndrome Education International
Email: press@downsed.org

Down Syndrome Education International

Down Syndrome Education International (DownsEd) works to improve education for young people with Down syndrome through scientific research and evidence-based information and support services. In the early 1980s, DownsEd pioneered early reading techniques to improve language learning for children who have Down syndrome. For 30 years, the charity has advanced scientific research investigating language, cognition, memory and speech development, literacy, numeracy, and education, leading to practical results that improve the lives of people living with Down syndrome today. DownsEd works with families, teachers and therapists, researchers and support organisations in over 170 countries, helping over 100,000 people with Down syndrome to achieve more every year.

Web site: http://www.downsed.org/

More people with Down syndrome are being born, achieving more and living longer than ever before

A new analysis shows that many more babies are being born with Down syndrome today than 15 years ago in England, despite universally available genetic screening. More people are living with Down syndrome today than ever before. They are achieving more and living longer and richer lives, questioning the ethics of screening. Screening also poses risks to babies who do not have Down syndrome. This new analysis estimates that screening leads to the deaths of 400 babies who do not have Down syndrome annually in England and Wales alone.

More babies are being born each year. "It is often assumed that fewer babies are now born with Down syndrome. This is not true – births of babies with Down syndrome have risen 25% in 15 years in England. At the same time, life expectancy and quality of life continue to improve," says Frank Buckley, the charity’s Chief Executive and co-author of the report. "More people are living with Down syndrome than ever before with over 600,000 across Europe and North America and maybe 4 million worldwide. There is still much more to do, but people with Down syndrome are achieving more thanks to better healthcare, better opportunities and more effective teaching approaches."

Although quality of life continues to improve for people with Down syndrome, government policy requires that genetic screening is offered to all pregnant women, posing risks to up to 700,000 pregnancies each year. Around 95% of all 'positive' screening results are wrong. Women who receive these results are encouraged to consider invasive tests. Between 1 in 100 and 1 in 50 pregnancies tested in this way are miscarried as a result of the tests.

Down Syndrome Education International is calling for further research and better support for people living with Down syndrome. The charity is also calling for reviews of screening policies and wider debate about the acceptability of genetic screening for mental and physical abilities during pregnancy.

About the report

Wrongful deaths and rightful lives – screening for Down syndrome by Frank Buckley and Sue Buckley will be published in Down Syndrome Research and Practice and online at Down Syndrome Online on 17 September 2008 at: http://www.down-syndrome.org/editorials/2087/

Contacts

press@downsed.org

Down Syndrome Education International

Down Syndrome Education International works to improve education for young people with Down syndrome through scientific research and evidence-based information and support services. The charity works with families, teachers and therapists, researchers and support organisations in over 170 countries. Down Syndrome Education International’s work helps over 100,000 people with Down syndrome to achieve more every year.

Web site: http://www.downsed.org/

Further information

• Additional information briefing relating to this press release

Maisy Mouse and Michael Morpurgo team Up for Reading

Favourite children's characters and renowned authors support sponsored reading initiative to support Down Syndrome Education International

PORTSMOUTH - 6 November 2007 - Favourite children's characters Maisy Mouse, Cyril, Tallulah and friends today teamed up with renowned children's authors and illustrators Lucy Cousins, Michael Morpurgo and Quentin Blake to launch the Up for Reading sponsored reading campaign.

Up for Reading encourages young children to engage in reading activities and supports work to improve early intervention and teaching for children with Down syndrome everywhere.

Up for Reading is raising funds for Down Syndrome Education International - the leading Down syndrome research charity. Based in the UK, the charity helps thousands of people with Down syndrome around the world by improving our understanding of the difficulties they face and informing families and teachers of how best to support all areas of their development.

"I am delighted to support the charity's Up for Reading campaign. It's a great way to encourage young children to read books and also support a unique charity." said Lucy Cousins.

Michael Morpurgo OBE, a Patron of Down Syndrome Education International, said "I’m so pleased to support the charity’s Up for Reading campaign. I can't think of a better way to have fun and raise money than by reading books – nor a better cause to raise it for."

Professor Sue Buckley OBE, Director of Science and Research at the charity, said "Up for Reading offers a fun and engaging way to encourage all young children to participate in reading activities. It also offers the opportunity to help children with Down syndrome achieve more. Up for Reading is particularly appropriate as research suggests that reading skills are often a relative strength for children with Down syndrome. Reading also helps to improve their spoken language. It is an excellent example of how research informs better support and progress for people with Down syndrome."

Up for Reading is also generously supported by National Book Tokens, Walker Books and Waterstones.com.

The Up for Reading campaign runs until 31 March 2008. Full details of the campaign can be found on the Up for Reading web site at http://www.up-for-reading.org/

Further information

• Down Syndrome Education International is the leading Down syndrome research charity, registered in England and Wales, number 1062823. http://www.downsed.org/
• Lucy Cousins is the best-selling author and illustrator of countless children's books, including the world famous Maisy Mouse series. http://www.walkerbooks.co.uk/Lucy-Cousins
• Michael Morpurgo OBE has written over 100 books - and his books have won the Children's Book Award in 2000, the Smarties Prize and the Whitbread Children's Book Award. Michael was the Children's Laureate from 2003 to 2005. http://www.michaelmorpurgo.org/

Photographs

• Photograph of Michael Morpurgo
• Photograph of Lucy Cousins

Contacts

• Howard Hurd, Director of Funding and Development
  email press@up-for-reading.org | tel 023 9285 5339 | fax 023 9285 5320