Securing our children’s futures, before we die.

Who We Are

What will happen to my child when I am no longer here to care for them?

Every parent of an adult with an intellectual disability asks the same question. For too long, there has been no real answer. Years of underfunding and poor planning mean that Ireland’s residential support system is in crisis. Families are left carrying the responsibility, even as parents themselves age into their seventies, eighties, and beyond.

Before We Die (BWD) is a parents’ lobby group, urgently campaigning for the Government to fund and deliver residential places for adults with intellectual disability.

  • Aging Carers

    1,500 adults with ID in Ireland live with family carers over the age of 70.

  • Elderly Parents

    Of these, 450 adults are cared for by parents aged over 80.

  • Government Response

    In Budget 2023, just 43 new residential places were funded.

We aim to highlight the scale of the issue, raise the profile of families living with this reality, and empower parents and siblings to join our campaign. We are pressing the Government to meet the targets set out in its 2021 Disability Capacity Review, so that adults with intellectual disabilities can live with dignity, security, and independence.

Our Aims

Get Involved

Join us, share our message, and add your voice to the campaign.

Every voice matters. Parents and siblings, politicians, journalists, service providers, and educators all have a role to play in securing a future for adults with intellectual disabilities.

Please fill in the form, selecting the role and level of campaign support that best describes you and we will be in touch to guide you.