Funding for new education programme
FUNDING for an innovative new early intervention programme which will help thousands of families affected by Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been announced. The Changing Lives Initiative is a new cross border project which aims to reduce dependence on medicalised intervention in young children who have behaviours consistent with ADHD.
The €3million initiative is being supported by the European Union’s INTERREG VA Programme, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and will focus on border areas in Northern Ireland, Ireland and Scotland. Roll out of the programme will commence next month and will benefit over 2,000 families in these regions.
The Changing Lives Initiative is aimed at families of children aged 3 to 7 with a pattern of behaviour consistent with ADHD. It is estimated that as many as 8 to 11% of school aged children have ADHD. While international guidelines for treating this disorder suggest parent education and training programmes as the first line of treatment, this option is not available to families in these regions.
The new Initiative will be delivered across County Louth, Colin/West Belfast, and the Argyll & Bute region of Scotland. The Initiative is being delivered by five partner organisations: Archways (lead partner), Colin Neighbourhood Partnership, Dundalk Institute of Technology, The Genesis Programme (Louth Leader Partnership) and NHS Highland. The programme will be rolled out locally by The Genesis Programme.
Hugh Doogan, with The Genesis Programme who will delivering the initiative in Co Louth said: ‘ The Changing Lives Initiative is an innovative new project that will provide a much needed support for families with children aged 3 to 7 years who are concerned about ADHD. The Initiative aims to significantly reduce dependence on medicalised interventions among this group of children by providing a high quality evidence based programme to the local community. This project will make a real difference to families locally.
‘We are extremely grateful to the European Union’s INTERREG VA Programme for funding this initiative.’
The project will be evaluated by researchers in the NetwellCasala Centre in Dundalk Institute of Technology, led by Dr Lucia Carragher.