Minister of Education and Youth Fayval Williams has acknowledged that there is much more work to be done to integrate Jamaicans with intellectual disabilities into society in a meaningful way.

Williams, speaking at Tim Harris’s birthday dinner, put on by Tim’s Big Heart Enterprises, in partnership with the Jamaica Down Syndrome Foundation (JDSF) at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel in St Andrew last Saturday (January 28), however applauded the country for standing with persons with disabilities (PWD).

“Jamaica has passed legislation on behalf of PWD, but we know there is much more work to be done. We know at the Ministry of Education that further training of teachers is required to support students with intellectual disabilities,” she said.

As guest of honour for Tim’s 37th birthday party, celebrated with a PWD family fun day at Fun Land in Hope Gardens, St Andrew and culminating in the Terra Nova dinner for parents, caregivers and well wishers of PWD, Williams congratulated Dr Charmaine Scott, executive director of JDSF and her team for 15 years of work in advocating for persons living with Down Syndrome.

JDSF parent, Dennise Williams noted that dyslexia is an area of support in which she is encouraging the Ministry of Education to consider training teachers to help students with intellectual disabilities manage.

The evening featured the launch of Tim’s book – the first written by an adult with Down Syndrome – which was, according to his parents, Keith and Jeannie Harris, the beginning of their relationship with the PWD community in Jamaica.

In addition to the Harris’ kind support to host their son’s birthday in Jamaica, the day’s festivities also highlighted the donors that have supported the JDSF throughout the years such as the NCB Foundation, Digicel Foundation and The Bob Marley Foundation.

Currently, the JDSF helps to support parents in learning how to become advocates for their children to navigate the health, education, financial and labour systems. Given that medical advances have improved the quality of care for PWD, it is expected that the average baby born with Down Syndrome will live to age 60 or older.

The JDSF has said it is therefore committed to educating parents on how to empower their children to become positive, contributing members of the Jamaican society.

For 2023 and beyond, the JDSF is seeking partners to help with the build out of its ‘Ivy’s Place Centre of Down Syndrome’, a building that will provide medical care, social support, literacy training and continued advocacy for children and adults with Down Syndrome.

Ivy’s Place is named in honour of Ivy Scott, who visioned the JDSF as a safe place for the community.