Lamh

Voices for Down Syndrome Galway 

Our members from 3 years of age, along with school-aged children, teenagers and adults in 20’s & 30’s avail of therapy with ‘Voices for Down Syndrome Galway’. Established in 2005, employs 2 experienced therapists, we provide speech and language therapy to about 80 children and adults at any given time.
Today we run clinics in Galway city and Claregalway, to meet the ongoing need of our members.  Our founding clinic is based in NUIG, working in collaboration with their Speech & Language Therapy Dept, giving their students valuable clinical experience with us, in exchange for use of their state of the art therapy clinics and access to some of the leading academics in speech and language therapy in the country & wider.
On-going professional training is provided to our speech and language therapists via Down Syndrome Ireland’s Special Interest Group, NUIG, continuing professional development courses/seminars, plus CPD with Margaret Farrell, Consultant Speech and Language Therapist.

Our model, focuses on establishing good functional communication skills, with strong parental collaboration, regular therapy and includes strong links with SLTs, Schools and other services.

Includes  school visits, and visits by Resource Teachers, SNAs to our sessions, where possible, involvement with IPS, and IEPS.

Therapy has been enhanced recently to include:

  • Use of iPad applications, with one iPad to be loaned out, info sessions
  • Provision of 4of Lámh training courses for different settings,
  • Parent / preschool staff training sessions,
  • with extended work on Literacy, and Working Memory in therapy session.
  • Many children have also enjoyed Big Owls preschoolers group, Camps and social skills groups for c. 40 school aged children, which provide opportunities for practicing new skills with peers.

Teens and adults are also having the opportunity to use skills, eg. Telling what they want from therapy, Presentations to students in NUIG and AIT, working on the Front Desk at Info evenings, and Training, speaking on NUIG FLIRT Radio, and participating on the Interview Panel for new staff.

All about ensuring that our Voices are for life and living in ordinary places!