Sylvaine Ni Cheallachain

In This Section

Our Mission, Ethos & Values
Our people
Governance and annual reports
Careers/Vacancies

Sylvaine served for 7 years on the committee of Down Syndrome Dublin, from 2012 to the end of 2019. For six of those years she served as branch secretary, taking minutes in meetings, answering members’ queries, liaising with the National Office, writing regular newsletters to members informing them of events and managing the branch’s social media. In 2013, she created a Facebook group for parents and guardians of children and adults with Down syndrome, to give them a place to share experiences and information in a supportive, private space. This group has grown to have over 2,200 parent members. As a parent of a teenager with Down syndrome, she believes that she brings a level of understanding of the challenges faced by children with Down … Read More

Sylvaine Ni Cheallachain - National Secretary

National Secretary

Sylvaine served for 7 years on the committee of Down Syndrome Dublin, from 2012 to the end of 2019. For six of those years she served as branch secretary, taking minutes in meetings, answering members’ queries, liaising with the National Office, writing regular newsletters to members informing them of events and managing the branch’s social media.

In 2013, she created a Facebook group for parents and guardians of children and adults with Down syndrome, to give them a place to share experiences and information in a supportive, private space. This group has grown to have over 2,200 parent members.

As a parent of a teenager with Down syndrome, she believes that she brings a level of understanding of the challenges faced by children with Down syndrome, in terms of education, lack of services and varying medical challenges. Sylvaine says that raising a child who has Down syndrome opens your eyes to the huge inequalities in our systems, and gives you a keen insight on the issues facing people living in Ireland with Down syndrome. Life experience has taught her how our education system functions, both in main stream and special educational needs settings, and how lack of services affects families.