Down's Syndrome: Education funding for children in doubt

Funding that helps support the teaching of children with Down's syndrome in the north west is set to be cut.

The Pathway Fund has supported the delivery of Foyle Down Syndrome Trust's One-To-One Education Programme.

Stormont officials have been planning for budget cuts of at least £500m in cash terms in this financial year.

The Foyle Down Syndrome Trust has said that unless the Pathway Funding is replaced, their education programme may need to close.

Vanessa Craig, whose son Jonah has been attending Foyle Down Syndrome Trust since he was three months old, said she did not know how he would have coped without the organisation.

"He actually just got his nursery place confirmed today," Ms Craig told BBC News NI.

"He has development delays with his speech and motor skills and they [Foyle Down Syndrome Trust staff] have just been brilliant with him.

"I would never have dreamt of sending his to mainstream school if it wasn't for the help of staff at Foyle Down Syndrome Trust.

"They have fully prepared him and without them I don't know how he would cope otherwise."

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris is expected to set a budget for Northern Ireland later.

Some departments have been told they could face cuts of 10%.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education (DE) said the department has yet to receive its confirmed budget allocation for 2023-24.

"The department will confirm the final Pathway Fund allocation following confirmation of the education budget," they said.

"Regrettably, should the interim budget position remain unchanged, it is likely that the Pathway Fund will have to cease at the end of June 2023 if additional funding is not made available."

A mother of one user of the education programme said she believes her son would not have been able to attend a main stream nursery school without it.

Foyle Down Syndrome Trust manager Chris Cooper told The North West Today its programme provides a vital service to children across the north west.

"The service has been a key element of our delivery since we were set up as a charity," Mr Cooper said.

"When we looked at the best way to support children with Down's syndrome the key message coming forward was early intervention.

"Getting them into mainstream education and those early years are so vital for the success of our children.

"Children with Down's syndrome and complex needs are already marginalised, we're living in places of high depravation and they have all those challenges and the impact of losing this will be massive."

Mr Cooper said it was heart-breaking to tell parents that the programme may have to be cut and that some staff may be out of a job.

"We have two education officers who are both part-funded by the project which could mean their hours being cut or I don't know," he said.

"This was a two-year fund as well, so we have been given an interim fund until June, but after that we have nothing secured."