Thank you for your interest in our appeal. If you would like to help support Intellectual Disability Services you can donate directly using donate button or click the fundraise button and set up your own fundraising page.

Services offered across the country provide vital support to children and adults with intellectual disabilities, allowing them to embrace and enjoy life and its many milestones.  Active community participation is encouraged by providing individually tailored, practical assistance from childhood right up to retirement

There are over 66,000 people in Ireland living with an intellectual disability.  This underpins the huge importance of our Community services. 

Children’s Services

Early services. Provide assistance to babies and children up to school age. This includes a specialised pre-school and support for parents, siblings and grandparents in order to give practical holistic help to families.

Family Focus. A specially designed and developed version of the Parents Plus programme for families of children with intellectual disabilities.  The Parents Plus programme is a parenting programme which concentrates on supporting parents to manage children’s behaviour and to enjoy the fun and rewards of parenting. 

Children’s Respite. Sometimes families need a break and sometimes children need a chance to play with their friends and have sleepover or a holiday.  Purpose built children’s respite clubs and other after school activities are available.

Adult Day Services

Every adult supported by a Person Directed Plan which outlines his or her life goals in work, education, socialisation, relationships and living circumstances. The aim is to find the best support plan for each individual. 

Supports available for adults:

  • Job Support: for paid employment, voluntary employment and self-employment.
  • Socialisation and Recreation: community and in-house support for sports, socialisation and recreation through a wide range of activities.
  • Relationship Support: supporting people in friendships and intimate relationships.
  • Education Support & Skills Training: making sure people meet their full potential by supporting them to become job-ready, to travel independently, to cook their own food, to attain qualifications and so on.
  • Support for Transition from School: specific programmes for school-leavers.
  • Support for Transition to Retirement: when people choose to stop working as they age, they can join our active retirement group.

Adult Residential Services

Independent Living supports independent living for people with intellectual disabilities in the community. People live in private rented housing, social housing or their own homes, and supports are put in place to help with issues like budgeting, shopping, housekeeping and maintenance. 

Community Housing helps people to live in the community with staff in their homes full time to assist them with household tasks, money management, accessing recreation, managing their health and meeting their personal goals as set by them. 

Respite is provided for adults who use Dublin South East Services. This offers them an enjoyable time away from home while also giving their families a valuable break.