‘Government’s attitude to Down’s syndrome insulting’

Parents of children with Down’s syndrome have said they are “shocked and disappointed” that the Department of Education is to continue its policy of not recognising the condition as a disability.

In a statement, Down Syndrome Education Equality Advocates said the lack of knowledge displayed by the Government with regard to children with Down’s syndrome is “unacceptable”.

“The Government, through the Department of Education, seem to be under the impression that children with Down’s syndrome do not matter and that they will accept less,” the statement says.

“As a result of the minister for education’s decision, children with Down’s syndrome will continue to require the diagnosis of a second disability from the Department of Education’s ‘Low Incidence Disability’ list, in order to be allocated resource teaching hours.”

The group said parents are infuriated by the “blatant discrimination” against their children.

“The attitude of this Government is insulting, not only to the children themselves, but to us — their parents — who have been fighting an unjust system of resource allocation, a system in which the disability Down’s syndrome is not recognised in its entirety.

“Our children were diagnosed at birth with Down’s syndrome, with all its inherent difficulties.

“All children with Down’s syndrome have a speech and language dis-order, but are prevented from receiving resource teaching hours to improve their speech because they do not have an IQ above 90 as a result of Down’s syndrome.”