Impact
Our work helps many thousands of people every week in over 130 countries around
the world.
For 30 years, our research and education activities have directly led to interventions
and educational approaches that help young people with Down syndrome achieve more.
Working to improve all areas of development
Our work considers all of the influences on health, development and education -
from the impact of genes to the impact of inclusion.
We work to assist people with Down syndrome in all areas of development:
Changing lives
Find out what others think about the impact of our work
on their lives by reading their:
Results from research
The Trust's research has delivered important results affecting many areas of development
and education for young people with Down syndrome around the world.
Our research findings have led to improvements in early intervention practice, teaching
methods and many other aspects of care, support and education for people with Down
syndrome.
Read more about the impact of our research...
Communicating change
The extensive information resources published by the Trust, and its wide-reaching
training programmes, ensure that up-to-date, evidence-based advice and information
reaches families, therapists, educators and other professionals around the world.
The Trust has published over 35 books, selling around 80,000 copies to date. The
Trust has been publishing online since 1996. Web site visits have quadrupled over
the past 4 years and the Trust now serves many tens of thousands of people in over
130 countries around the world via its online services.
Read more about the impact of our education activities...
Changing lives
Our impact is not just measured by statistics. Real outcomes for people with Down
syndrome and their families are our ultimate aim.
We measure this impact by talking to the people we serve and from the
feedback we
receive.
Read about individual experiences of our work...
Efficient operations
We maximise our impact through efficient working. Given the reach of all that we
do, it may be surprising that we only receive around £500,000 (US$975,000/€735,000)
in grants, donations and fundraising events income each year.
We put it to good use, though -
- We focus on activities with a broad reach and demonstrable impact.
- We work hard to ensure that our activities are operated as efficiently and effectively
as possible.
- We do not overspend on fundraisers - our fundraising costs to charitable expenditure
ratio is 9% - far lower than many charities. (In fact, our total annual fundraising
expenditure is only around £40,000 each year - in large part thanks to the efforts
of many fundraising volunteers)
Read more about how to support our work...
Planning to do more
For many people with Down syndrome, the outlook has never been brighter. Increased
life expectancy, higher educational achievements and greater social inclusion are
improving the quality of life for people with Down syndrome in many countries.
However, there is still much more work to be done to ensure that every person with
Down syndrome receives the best care, support, education and life opportunities.
The Down Syndrome Educational Trust plays a pivotal role in informing progress through
scientific research and information. Our forward-looking strategic plans include
an expanded programme of original research focused on practical outcomes for people
with Down syndrome.
Read more about our strategy...
Further information
Find out more -