Nicola Hart - National Research and Support Specialist
National Research and Support Specialist
Nicola Hart is an experienced, CORU registered Speech and Language Therapist who has worked for more than 25 years with people who have Down syndrome and their families. She has been employed by Down Syndrome Ireland since 2010, initially in the Kildare branch, then in national office. She is now employed as National Research and Support Specialist, but continues to offer general advice, training and support on speech and language issues alongside her other responsibilities.
Nicola is committed to promoting evidence-led practice, and works with members and researchers to encourage new research, prioritising research questions which will have the maximum impact on the life of children and adults with Down syndrome and their families. The willingness of members to participate in research, answering questions about their lives and experiences is something she never takes for granted.
Nicola has an interest in developmental language disorder in Down syndrome, and the link between spoken and written language development, as well as how adults with Down syndrome use written language in everyday life. She works together with colleagues in the Member Support Team to support families, educators and therapists so that they can better understand the challenges and the strengths of students with Down syndrome and can work to maximise learning opportunities across the lifespan.
Nicola is a member of the Lámh Research and Development committee and worked on the concept and content of the award-winning Lámh Time app. She has recently joined the board of directors of the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists (IASLT).
Nicola has a strong commitment to social justice and has recently completed a Postgraduate diploma in Intermediary Studies, to become one of the first cohort of Intermediaries trained to work with people with communication disabilities in the Irish Criminal Justice System.
Nicola is the co-author of a number of publications, the most recent being:
The co-construction of a reading assessment measure with adults with Down syndrome: a meaningful literacy approach, July 2023
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1173300/full
Speech and language therapy services for people with Down syndrome: The disparity between research and practice, June 2022
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jppi.12405
Nicola can be contacted on 087 1444 382 or by email: nicola@downsyndrome.ie
