Developmental Support Needs of Children with Down Syndrome in Inclusive Early Childhood Settings in Oyo State

This study examines the developmental support needs of children with Down syndrome enrolled in inclusive early childhood settings in Oyo State, South West Nigeria. The developmental profile of children with Down syndrome, characterised by delayed cognitive, language, motor, and adaptive behaviour milestones, requires tailored intervention approaches that most Nigerian early childhood settings are currently ill-equipped to provide. This research employed a needs assessment design involving 55 children with Down syndrome aged 3 to 7 years, their parents, and 62 early childhood educators across inclusive centres in Ibadan and Oyo town. Developmental status was assessed using the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales, Third Edition, while a structured educator questionnaire and in-depth parent interviews documented perceived support gaps. Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics were applied. Results indicate that communication and adaptive behaviour domains showed the most significant developmental delays and service gaps. Educators reported low confidence in implementing communication-focused interventions and limited knowledge of augmentative and alternative communication strategies. Parents expressed high levels of advocacy fatigue due to the absence of specialist services. The study recommends that the Oyo State Ministry of Education develop a dedicated Down syndrome inclusion support framework, including specialist advisory services, educator training, and parent-professional partnership models within early childhood settings. Keywords: Down syndrome, developmental support, inclusive education, early childhood, Oyo State.