Kent charity 21 Together is launching pre-school sessions in Broadstairs tailored for children with Down’s Syndrome.
The sessions are for children aged two to four years old and will begin on Wednesday, April 17th, at The Gap Project, Queens Road, Broadstairs.
A 21 Together spokesperson said: “Families in Thanet facing the challenges of raising a child with Down’s Syndrome often encounter significant barriers in accessing specialised early intervention support.
“Recognising this pressing need, 21 Together is proud to extend our proven model of support from Maidstone to Thanet. Through evidence-based teaching approaches and syndrome-specific strategies, 21 Together aims to empower local families and unlock the full potential of their children.
“This expansion aligns with the ongoing Communicate Together campaign, a community-driven initiative aimed at duplicating our successful Maidstone centre in Thanet. By amplifying our reach and impact, 21 Together hopes to ensure equitable access to vital early intervention services for children with Down’s Syndrome across the county. Through collaborative efforts with local stakeholders, 21 Together are creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for families in Thanet.”
Johanna Aiyathurai, co-founder of 21 Together, added: “Building our services in Maidstone has been a whirlwind, now 21 Together is dedicated to ensuring the children of Thanet can get equal access to the vital support they need.”
Sessions will be every Wednesday during term time from April 17th at 10:30am-11:30am and 11:45am-12:45pm.
The programme is run by an education specialist with supervision from a speech and language therapist, and throughout each term, an occupational therapist, physiotherapist, and community support worker visit the sessions to provide support for the children and give guidance to parents.
Each group is led by two members of 21 Together staff and has a maximum of four children, to allow them to get the maximum learning experience per session.
The cost of the group is £10 per session, payable at the start of each term.
21 Together says: “We very heavily subsidise the sessions. To make the groups viable in the long term, we do ask families for a minimum donation for each session, if anyone feels for whatever reason that this cost would mean a young person could not attend, we would urge them to contact us as we have financial support available to those that need it.”
Visit the website at: Early Intervention Groups — 21 Together
What is Down’s Syndrome?
Down’s syndrome, also known as Down syndrome or Trisomy 21, is a condition you’re born with. Most people who have Down’s syndrome lead healthy and fulfilled lives. Everyone born with Down’s syndrome will have some level of learning disability, but this will be different for each person. Down’s syndrome is caused by an extra chromosome in a baby’s cells. In most cases, this is not inherited – it’s simply the result of a one-off genetic change in the sperm or egg.