Clinical Services Manager at Music Beat Therapy Services, Kate Fletcher-Becroft, was fortunate to present and perform at the World Down Syndrome Congress (WDSC) 2024 in Brisbane, from the 10th – 12th July. She presented some of her own papers as well as presenting together with one of her clients Dave, and performing with the DSQ Together Red choir.
I love working with a wide range of clients, but I have a special clinical spot in my heart for my clients with Down syndrome.
This is because my youngest sister, Nicci, has Down syndrome. I grew up having close connections to many peers with Down syndrome, particularly through the family support group in Toowoomba.
When I was studying music therapy and had to choose a topic for my minor thesis, I worked with students with Down syndrome at a local special school.
I also set up my independent clinical placement with Down Syndrome Queensland (DSQ), where I started group programs for all ages (some of which are still running to this day).
A focus on inclusion
This year, we were extremely fortunate that the World Down Syndrome Congress (WDSC) 2024 was held in Brisbane.
How exciting that I was able to attend not just in my own country, but my own city!
As part of my work with Down Syndrome Queensland (DSQ), I have been a delegate in a couple of WDSC’s around the world, firstly in Cape Town, South Africa in 2012 and then in Chennai, India in 2015.
Fast forward to the 2024 Brisbane Congress, I was excited to be presenting and performing with one of my clients Dave, as well as the DSQ Together Red choir.
One of the big changes for Brisbane was the Congress was fully inclusive, with the adults with Down syndrome included as full delegates for the whole Congress, rather than in a separate program.
Dave and I submitted three abstracts: one for a performance of original songs (as the D&K Duo), one to present about writing his own cabaret, and the final one to facilitate a song writing workshop. All were accepted!
So too was DSQ’s Together Red Choir’s abstract for a performance.
Together with three abstracts of my own examining music therapy from a clinical perspective, a very busy week of speaking, presenting, and performing was ahead!
World Down Syndrome Congress highlights
Things got off to a busy start prior to the Congress officially starting, with an extra day with two streams: one for health professionals (which I went to), and one for self-advocates (which my sister and some of my clients went to).
The Congress itself was just fabulous!
There were so many different streams to choose from, and the self-advocate presentations were fantastic.
My favourite keynote speaker was Charlotte Woodward, a lady with Down syndrome from the USA. She spoke about her journey and education through high school, college, and university.
Charlotte also spoke about proposed healthcare legislation that she has put before the US Congress around discrimination to people with disabilities who are on organ transplant lists. How could you not listen to someone like her?
All three of Dave and my presentations were very well received, with our performance of Just Don’t Give A Damn a crowd favourite, a song about Dave’s mental health journey and ‘not giving a damn’ about other’s negative perceptions on people with disabilities.
Reaction to our presentation on developing our cabaret DisWHAT?!? has us thinking about developing an online version as EVERYBODY wants to see it, while our song writing workshop was a massive hit!
The Together Red choir performance was also loved by everyone who saw it. The choir members always choose songs to tug at your heartstrings to make people cry, and it always works, every time.
My own presentations were much more low key, especially compared to presenting and performing with my clients with Down syndrome.
I spoke about using music and group processes when going through grief, music in early intervention, and the benefits of group singing online. They were all well attended and I think that people were interested in what I had to say.
Special moments, impromptu performances
There were special moments in each of my presentations and in the sessions where they were held.
During the singing with grief presentation, there were two impromptu performances from adults with Down syndrome who have used music to process their own grief.
For the music in early intervention presentation, my sister, Nicci, chaired the session so I got an extra special introduction. Plus, I had parents of my own clients sneak in to cheer me on.
During the online group singing presentation I was able to chat with adults with Down syndrome who were interested in joining my choir or starting their own choir (in Scotland).
Was the week exhausting? Yes! But it was also invigorating to be surrounded by people making small- and large-scale change.
I hope that I am lucky enough to attend another WDSC in the future – maybe three years from now when it is hosted in Argentina!
If you have any questions about how music therapy can work for you, or about any of our NDIS Certified and Registered services and supports, please contact the Music Beat Therapy Services team.