Priorities

Our current priorities for people with Down syndrome focus on the areas where the most gain can be made quickly.

The Sue Buckley Research Fund will deliver measurable improvements in developmental and educational outcomes for people with Down syndrome by:

• Accelerating progress in scientific research
  Understanding the precise needs of people with Down syndrome is vital for informing effective care, support and education.
• Ensuring effective care, support and education
  Evidence-based advice and information must be communicated widely to families and professionals to ensure effective effective care, support and education.

We will develop programmes to advance speech, language, social and cognitive abilities from birth that can be woven into daily family life and integrated into preschool support and intervention services and classroom activities.

With partners around the world, we plan to:

• Reduce the effects of hearing loss
• Reduce behaviour problems
• Reduce sleep disturbance
• Deliver effective home learning programmes
• Improve memory skills
• Provide free access to high quality information, guidance and teaching resources
• Improve speech clarity
• Understand the reasons for individual differences
• Improve literacy and maths skills
• Remove obstacles to successful inclusive education

All of these priority initiatives will provide demonstrable benefits for people with Down syndrome. We can deliver these gains today, given your support.