Down Syndrome Research Forum 2025

The 2025 Down Syndrome Research Forum will be held on 17th, 18th, and 19th March, and is hosted by Down Syndrome Education International.

The Down Syndrome Research Forum is an annual international event where researchers, students, practitioners, and families meet to discuss current research and practice, and learn from each other.

Once again, the Forum will be held online. However, this year, it will take place over 3 shorter days with the timings varied each day to reflect the increasing international contributions and attendance. We welcome presentations of research work (including work in progress), and presentations from practitioners, family members, and individuals with Down syndrome, who may wish to share their experiences of using particular interventions or service models.

Presenters will be asked to present their work to attendees in live sessions delivered over video-call. All sessions will be recorded to enable registered participants who are unable to attend the live sessions to access content later.

The invited keynotes this year are:

• "Parent Power: The uniquely powerful position of parents in supporting language development for children with Down syndrome". Dr Kelly Burgoyne, Senior Lecturer in Psychology of Education, University of Manchester, UK
• "The sibling subsystem in families with a child with Down syndrome: Processes and outcomes". Professor Monica Cuskelly, Director of Research, Applied Research Centre for Disability and Wellbeing, University of Tasmania, Australia
• "Teaching children with Down syndrome to read: what we know, what we do not know and what are the implications for literacy teaching and for early speech and language interventions?" Professor Sue Buckley, , Director of Science and Research, Down Syndrome Education International, UK
• "Mastery motivation from early childhood to early adulthood: Findings from a 20 year study of individuals with Down syndrome” Professor Linda Gilmore, The Centre for Inclusive Education, University of Queensland, Australia, and Professor Monica Cuskelly.

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If you are new to the Forum see the dedicated page for further details. Any questions can be asked on the Research Forum section on the DSE Community site.