About Us - Down Syndrome Nursing Liaison Service

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Help & support that's with you from the very beginning

Down Syndrome Centre has created a new nursing service  – that of the Down Syndrome Centre Liaison Nurse – whose role is to offer support and counselling to parents of newly born children with Down syndrome while in Dublin maternity hospitals and continuing into community support.

Down Syndrome Centre are funding the post and it is our hope to extend the service so that similar nurses will be appointed to operate in other parts of Ireland. The Down Syndrome Liaison Nurse - Angela O'Riordan - now operates out the National Children’s Hospital (AMNCH) Tallaght under the direction of the Department of Paediatrics.

Ideally, once a child has been born with Down syndrome in one of the four Dublin maternity hospitals, a member of the neonatology team or the social worker will ask the parents if they would like to receive a visit from the Down Syndrome Centre Liaison Nurse. With their premission, Angela will attend to offer positive advice, information, support and counseling in assisting parents to come to terms with the diagnosis. A positive start to life with a new baby can make all the difference to everyone's sense of wellbeing.

The Nurse's Role Explained:
To provide continuity of care and support, and on request by the parents, the nurse will continue to support parents and family at home with visits throughout the child’s first year.  In her role, Angela will:

  • Establish liaisons/channels of communication with relevant staff in Dublin maternity hospitals – Director of Nursing/Mid-wifery, Head Social Workers.
  • Establish liaisons/channels of communication with the HSE and Directors of Public Health Nursing.
  • Establish liaisons with existing medical professionals with expertise in the area and with experts overseas.
  • Develop wide-ranging knowledge of all government services available to parents/service providers and issues relating to the best care and development of developmental and educational opportunities for people with Down syndrome.
  • Conduct research to draw a picture of health issues common to children born with Ds and when they acess health services and the merit of these.
  • Deliver regular updates to hospital medical staff on Down syndrome and its management.
  • Provide relevant information to parents at each stage in their child's first year.
  • Operate an in-hours helpline - responding to parents calls.
  • Facilitate parents to network and share from each others experiences.
  • Become a spokesperson for Down Syndrome Centre on issues relating to the genetic aberration referred to as Down syndrome and a recognised industry professional on issues relating to the delivery of a modern, needs-orientated advocacy service.