National Child Development Centre
Building Better Futures for Children
Construction Has Started
With thanks to the kindness and generosity of the many individuals and companies who have already donated, construction of our National Child Development Centre in Kildare Town commenced in April 2024. We are now focused on raising the final funds needed to complete this exciting project. The National Child Development Centre gives you a real opportunity to give a meaningful gift that will have a long-lasting impact on the lives of tens of thousands of children and families for many years to come. Your gift will make a difference.
If you are looking for a meaningful way to make a difference, just imagine the difference that your gift will make to build better futures for children with additional needs, when you make a thoughtful donation to this special project.
Donate Now
Your Help Will Make a Difference To 300 Children Per Week, Children like JC, Brody, Fiadh and Hugo
Since Sensational Kids has already changed the lives of more than 10,000 children, saving their families more than €3 million in therapy fees. We have seen a dramatic increase in demand for our services. With the level of demand set to continue to rise in the coming years, we aim to continue to meet the needs of our current and future children and families. With your help, we can expand the capacity of our therapy supports for children by building this new National Child Development Centre.
Why?
With 100,000+ children languishing on public waiting lists for essential therapies, children are left waiting for far too long and need timely assessments and intervention. They deserve better. Families deserve a world class facility for their children that is designed and equipped to make a difference.
Where?
A custom-built National Child Development Centre on a 2.4 acre greenfield site in Kildare Town, strategically located beside the M7 motorway.
Our Solution:
We are building a flagship facility that is an exemplar in its design as a Centre of Excellence for the provision of therapeutic supports to children with additional needs.
Support Services At The New National Child Development Centre
- Occupational therapy assessments & intervention
- Speech & language therapy assessments & intervention
- Play therapy
- Educational psychological assessments
- Autism Diagnostic Assessments
- A range of holistic activities to support child development
- Professional development training workshops for educators and clinicians
- Parent supports & events
Who Will Benefit
Children and adolescents with additional needs, including those children who are autistic, dyslexic, dyspraxic or have Downs syndrome, ADHD, sensory processing differences or developmental delays that might require additional support or accommodations at home or at school.
- ADD/ADHD
- Autistic
- Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (Dyspraxia)
- Down Syndrome
- Dyslexia
- Fragile X Syndrome
- Intellectual Disability
- Mental Health Issues
- Sensory Processing Difficulties
- Speech & Language Delays & Disorders
- Many other developmental delays and conditions.
Identifying and supporting developmental differences at a young age will allow a child to truly realise their potential in all environments.
DESIGNED FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
The design of this new facility is reflective and considerate of the needs of the children and families.
Children and families will benefit from:
- 11 Therapy Rooms
- 4 Sensory Motor Gyms
- Sensory Room
- Therapeutic Kitchen
- Training Rooms
- Play, Develop & Learn Store
- Therapeutic Sensory-Motor Playground
- Covered Sensory Gardens
Message from CEO & Founder
16 years ago, I found myself frustrated at the lack of therapy supports for my children. With help from family and friends, we fundraised to set up Sensational Kids to provide subsidised occupational therapy and speech & language therapy so that other families and children did not have to face the difficulties that we did in accessing therapy supports for our children.
Having been in the USA with surgery for one of our children, we were fortunate to have visited some fabulous therapy facilities in the US. We brought this vision of what therapy centres could be back to Ireland.
Our first child development centre opened 16 years ago in Kildare Town in a leased facility. We later opened a further three child development centres around Ireland and have supported over 10,000 children.
Having outgrown our Kildare centre and because the landlord was selling the facility, our Kildare Child Development Centre is currently based in a short-term rental until our fantastic new national child development centre is built.
We have always dreamed of a custom-built child-development centre, with both indoor and outdoor playful spaces specifically designed to meet the sensory needs of the children. We want to give children the facilities that they deserve to have to help them thrive.
We are now about to make dreams come true by embarking on our most ambitious project to date. We are building this flagship child development centre so no child in our community is left behind on waiting lists.
If, like us, you want to make a difference to the lives of children in need in our community, please consider supporting this valuable project by kindly donating online. You can also contact me to find out more about you or your company can play your part in The National Child Development Centre for children and families who need our help.
Karen Leigh
CEO & Founder
To find out more about how you can help please contact Karen Leigh, Founder & CEO of Sensational Kids.
Email: karen@sensationalkids.ie or Phone 045 520900
Project Progress Gallery
