Mothers of children with Down Syndrome create moving ‘carpool karaoke’ video

It's now gone viral

A selection of mothers have come together to create a moving ‘Carpool Karaoke’ style video with their children who have Down Syndrome.

Ahead of World Down Syndrome Day on March 21, the 50 mothers and their children are seen lip syncing and performing Makaton to the tune of Christina Perri’s ‘A Thousand Years.’

Makaton, a language programme which uses signs and symbols alongside speech, is designed to help hearing people with learning or communication difficulties.

The video has since gone viral, with TV presenter James Corden - well-known for his Carpool Karaoke with celebrities - revealing it moved him to tears.

The mothers in the video are all part of a Facebook group called Designer Genes, which is for parents of children with Down Syndrome born in 2013/2014. They decided to come together “to show the world just how ordinary and fun life with the condition is and how they ‘Wouldn’t Change a Thing’.”

According to 35-year-old Rebecca Carless, one of the mothers in the project, the idea was inspired by videos created by Singing Hands, an organisation which helps people learn Makaton.

It was edited together by one of the fathers, Jamie McCallum.

“We definitely wanted everyone to see it,” Carless told the BBC.

“The idea is, we are just normal mums, we love our kids, they love us, and they are just like other four-year-olds, we wouldn’t change them.”

Published a week ago, the video now has over 500,000 views on YouTube, with many people sharing it on social media too.

Perri herself has supported the project, writing on Twitter that she is “so honoured” to have had her song chosen.

“The video turned out even better than we had hoped and the response has just been mad,” says Carless, who appears with her four-year-old son Archie.

“Archie loves it, he spots himself straight away and grabs my hand to do the swaying bit.”

And the response to the video has been overwhelmingly positive too.

“I absolutely loved this video,” one woman wrote.

“So beautiful and moved me to tears… the love in this video will melt you,” added another.

“Tears running down my face as I write this,” commented one person. “So beautiful. I am a parent of teenager with DS and remember the days of using Makaton so well.

“It is hugely inspirational and such a fantastic film. Well done to the creators and the mummies and children who took part. I hope it takes the world by storm.”