This specific release was highly anticipated because it contained the very first official census figures tracking Down syndrome as its own primary type of need.’
We’ve called for this as the DS community for a long time!
I’m interested to know who is planning to review the data when it’s released and whether it will provide data sets that researchers and service providers can work with?
I did previously look at the 2024/25 data, and it was clear the data recording was incomplete - ~1,600 pupils with Down syndrome in primary and secondary schools in England - so concluded it was not useful.
Looking at 2025/26 (briefly) they now report ~2,500. A rough estimate says (for 5 to 16 years) would be >7,000 children.
